PLAYS 


0    OF 


SHAKESPEARE 

SELECTED  AND  PREPARED  FOR  USE  IN 

SCHOOLS. 

WITH  INTRODUCTIONS  AND  NOTES. 

BY 

THE  REV.  HENRY  N.  HUDSON. 
NTJMBEB  II. 

JULIUS 


BOSTON: 
GINN    AND    HEATH. 

1878. 


ni 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1871, 

BY  HENRY  N.    HUDSON, 

in  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  JL^IUS  , 


THIS  tragedy  was  first  printed  in  the  folio  of  1623,  and  with  the 
text  in  so  clear  and  sound  a  state,  that  editors  have  but  little 
trouble  about  it,  most  of  the  errors  being  easily  corrected.  The  date 
of  the  writing  has  been  variously  argued  ;  some  placing  the  work  in  the 
middle  period  of  the  author's  labours,  others  among  the  latest.  I  was 
fully  satisfied  long  ago,  from  the  style  alone,  that  it  belonged  with  the 
former.  But,  as  no  clear  contemporary  notice  or  allusion  had  been 
produced,  the  question  could  not  be  determined.  It  is  now  pretty 
certain,  however,  that  the  play  was  written  as  early  as  1601,  Mr.  Hal- 
liwell  having  lately  produced  the  following  from  Weever's  Mirror  of 
Martyrs,  which  was  printed  that  year : 

"  The  many-headed  multitude  were  drawn 
By  Brutus'  speech,  that  Caesar  was  ambitious: 
When  eloquent  Mark  Antony  had  showri 
His  virtues,  who  but  Brutus  then  was  vicious  ?  " 

As  there  is  nothing  in  the  history  that  could  have  suggested  this,  we 
can  only  ascribe  it  to  some  acquainfance  with  the  play  :  so  that  the 
passage  may  be  justly  regarded  as  decisive  of  the  question. 

The  historical  matter  of  this  play  was  taken  from  the  Lives  of  Julius 
Caesar,  of  Brutus,  and  of  Antony,  as  set  forth  in  Sir  Thomas  North's 
translation  of  Plutarch,  first  published  in  1579.  In  nearly  all  the 
leading  incidents  the  charming  old  Greek  is  minutely  followed,  though 
in  divers  cases  those  incidents  are  worked  out  with  surpassing  fertil- 
ity of  invention  and  art.  Any  abstract  of  the  Plutarchian  matter 
may  well  be  spared,  since  it  would  be  little  else  than  a  repetition,  in 
prose,  of  what  the  drama  gives  in  a  much  better  shape.  On  the  15th 
of  February,  B.  C.  44,  the  feast  of  Lupercalia  was  held,  when  the 
crown  was  offered  to  Caesar  by  Antony.  On  the  15th  of  March  fol- 
lowing, Caesar  was  slain.  In  November,  B.  C.  43,  the  Triumvirs, 
Octavius,  Antony,  and  Lepidus,  met  on  a  small  island  near  Bononia, 
and  there  made  up  their  bloody  proscription.  The  overthrow  of  Bru- 
tus and  Cassius,  near  Philippi,  took  place  in  the  Fall  of  the  next  year. 
So  that  the  events  of  the  drama  cover  a  period  of  something  over  two 
years  and  a  half. 

Several  critics  of  high  judgment  have  found  fault  with  the  naming 
of  this  play,  on  the  ground  that  Brutus,  and  not  Csesar,  is  the  hero 
of  it.  It  is  indeed  true  that  Brutus  is  the  hero ;  nevertheless  the  play 
is,  L  think,  rightly  named,  inasmuch  as  Caesar  is  not  only  the  subject 
but  also  the  governing  power  throughout.  He  is  the  centre  and 
spring-head  of  the  entire  action,  giving  law  and  shape  to  all  that  is 
eaid  and  done.  This  is  manifestly  true  in  what  occurs  before  hig 
death  ;  and  it  is  true  in  a  still  deeper  sense  afterwards,  since  his  geniuj 
then  becomes  the  Nemesis  or  retributive  Providence,  presiding  over 
the  whole  course  of  the  drama.  Accordingly,  the  key-note  of  the 
play  is  rightly  given  by  Brutus  near  the  close  : 

"  O,  Julius  Caesar,  thou  art  mighty  yet  ! 
Thy  spirit  walks  abroad,  and  turns  our  swords 
In  our  own  proper  entrails." 

The  characterization  is,  I  confess,  in  some  parts  not  a  little  per- 
plexing to  me.  I  do  not  feel  quite  sure  as  to  the  temper  of  mind  in 
which  the  Poet  conceived  some  of  the  persons,  or  why  he  should  have 
given  them  the  aspect  they  wear  in  the  play.  For  instance,  Caasar  is 
far  from  being  himself  in  these  scenes  hardly  one  of  the  speeches 


417179 


428  INTRODUCTION. 

put  into  his  rn ouch  car  De  recorded  kc  historically  characteristic;  tak 
ing  all  of  them  together,  they  are  little  short  of  a  downright  caricature, 
As  here  represented,  he  is  indeed  little  better  than  a  grand,  strutting 
piece  of  puff-paste ;  and  when  he  speaks,  it  is  very  much  in  the  style 
of  a  glorious  vapourer  and  braggart,  full  of  lofty  airs  and  mock 
thunder ;  than  which  nothing  could  be  further  from  the  truth  of  the 
man,  whose  character,  even  in  his  faults,  was  as  compact  and  solid  as 
adamant,  and  at  the  same  time  as  limber  and  ductile  as  the  finest 
gold.  Yet  we  have  ample  proof  that  the  Poet  understood  "  the  might- 
iest Julius  "  thoroughly.  He  has  many  allusions  to  him  scattered 
through  his  plays,  all  going  to  show  that  he  regarded  him  as,  what 
Merivale  pronounces  him,  "  the  greatest  name  in  history."  And  in- 
deed it  is  clear  from  this  play  itself,  that  the  Poet's  course  did  not 
proceed  at  all  from  ignorance  or  misconception  of  the  man.  For  it  is 
remarkable  that  though  Caesar  delivers  himself  so  out  of  character, 
yet  others,  both  foes  and  friends,  deliver  him  much  nearer  the  truth ; 
so  that,  while  we  see  almost  nothing  of  him  directly,  we  nevertheless 
get,  upon  the  whole,  a  pretty  just  reflection  of  him.  Especially,  in 
the  marvellous  speeches  of  Antony,  and  in  the  later  events  of  the 
drama,  both  his  inward  greatness  and  his  right  of  mastership  over 
the  Roman  world  are  fully  vindicated.  For  in  the  play,  as  in  history, 
Caesar's  blood  just  cements  the  empire  which  the  conspirators  thought 
to  prevent.  He  proves  indeed  far  mightier  in  death  than  in  life ;  as 
if  his  spirit  were  become  at  once  the  guardian  angel  of  his  cause,  and 
an  avenging  angel  to  his  foes.  And  so  it  was  in  fact.  For  nothing 
did  so  much  to  set  the  people  in  love  with  royalty,  both  name  and 
thing,  as  the  reflection  that  their  beloved  Caesar,  th«  greatest  of  their 
national  heroes,  the  crown  and  consummation  of  Roman  genius  and 
manhood,  had  been  murdered  for  aspiring  to  it. 

Now  I  have  no  doubt  that  Shakespeare  perfectly  understood  the 
whole  height  and  compass  of  Caesar's  vast  and  varied  capacity.  And 
I  sometimes  regret  that  he  did  not  render  him  as  he  evidently  saw 
him,  inasmuch  as  he  alone,  perhaps,  of  all  the  men  who  ever  wrote, 
could  have  given  an  adequate  expression  of  that  colossal  man.  And 
this  seeming  contradiction  between  Caesar  as  known  and  Caesar  as 
rendered  by  him,  is  what,  more  than  anything  else  in  the  drama,  per- 
plexes me.  But  there  is,  I  think,  a  very  refined,  subtle,  and  peculiar 
irony  pervading  this,  more  than  any  other  of  the  Poet's  plays ;  not 
intended  as  such,  indeed,  by  the  speakers,  but  a  sort  of  historic  irony  — 
the  irony  of  Providence,  so  to  speak,  or,  if  you  please,  of  fate ;  much 
the  same  as  is  implied  in  the  proverb,  "  A  haughty  spirit  goes  before 
a  fall."  This  irony  crops  out  in  many  places.  Thus  we  have  Caesar 
most  blown  with  self-importance  and  godding  it  in  the  loftiest  style 
when  the  daggers  of  the  assassins  are  on  the  very  point  of  leaping  at 
him.  So  too,  all  along,  we  find  Brutus  most  confident  in  those  very  | 
things  where  he  is  most  at  fault,  or  acting  like  a  man  "  most  ignoiaut  II 
of  what  he's  most  assur'd;"  as  when  he  says  that  Antony  "canr 
do  no  more  than  Caesar's  arm  when  Caesar's  head  is  off."  This,  to 
be  sure,  is  not  meant  ironically  by  him ;  but  it  is  turned  into  irony 
by  the  fact  that  Antony  soon  tears  the  cause  of  the  conspirators  all  to 
pieces  with  his  tongue.  So,  again,  of  the  passage  where  Cassius 
mockingly  gods  Caesar:  the  subsequent  course  of  events  has  the 
effect  of  inverting  his  mockery  against  himself ;  as  much  as  to  say, 
"  You  have  made  fine  work  with  your  ridding  the  world  of  great 
Caesar :  since  your  daggers  pricked  the  gas  out  of  him,  you  see  what 
a  grand  humbug  he  was  !  " 

As  regards  the  historical  aspect  of  the  matter,  I  have  met  wiiu 
nothing  better  than  some  remarks  by  Dr.  Schmitz,  a  recent  historian 


INTRODUCTION.  429 

of  Rome.  "  The  death  of  Caesar,"  says  he,  "  was  an  irreparable  loss, 
not  only  to  the  Roman  people,  but  to  the  whole  civilized  world  ;  for 
the  Republic  was  utterly  ruined,  and  no  earthly  power  could  restore 
it.  Caesar's  death  involved  the  State  in  fresh  struggles  and  civil 
wars  for  many  a  year,  until  in  the  end  it  fell  again  (and  this  was  the 
best  that,  under  the  circumstances,  could  have  happened  to  it)  under 
the  supremacy  of  Augustus,  who  had  neither  the  talent,  nor  the  will, 
nor  the  power,  to  carry  out  all  the  beneficial  plans  which  his  great- 
uncle  had  formed.  It  has  been  truly  said,  that  the  murder  of  Caasar 
was  the  most  senseless  act  the  Romans  ever  committed.  Had  it 
been  possible  at  all  to  restore  the  Republic,  it  would  unavoidably 
have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  a  most  profligate  aristocracy;  who 
would  have  sought  nothing  but  their  own  aggrandizement;  would 
have  demoralized  the  people  still  more ;  and  would  have  established 
their  own  greatness  upon  the  ruins  of  their  country.  It  is  only  nec- 
essary to  recollect  the  latter  years  of  the  Republic,  the  depravity  and 
corruption  of  the  ruling  classes,  the  scenes  of  violence  and  blood- 
shed which  constantly  occurred  in  the  streets  of  Rome,  to  render  it 
evident  to  every  one  that  peace  and  security  could  not  be  restored, 
except  by  the  strong  hand  of  a  sovereign ;  and  the  Roman  world 
would  have  been  fortunate  indeed,  if  it  had  submitted  to  the  mild 
and  beneficent  sway  of  Caesar." 

To  this  may  be  fitly  added  Merivale's  summing-up  of  Caesar's  char- 
acter. "  While  other  illustrious  men  have  been  reputed  great  for 
their  excellence  in  some  one  department  of  human  genius,  it  was  de- 
clared by  the  concurrent  voice  of  antiquity,  that  Caesar  was  excellent 
in  all.  He  had  genius,  understanding,  memory,  taste,  reflection,  in- 
dustry, and  exactness.  He  was  great,  repeats  a  modern  writer,  in 
every  thing  he  undertook;  as  a  captain,  a  statesman,  a  lawgiver,  a  jurist,  an 
orator,  a  poet,  an  historian,  a  grammarian,  a  mathematician,  and  an  archi- 
tect. The  secret  of  his  manifold  excellence  was  discovered  by  Pliny 
in  the  unparalleled  energy  of  his  intellectual  powers,  which  he  could 
devote  without  distraction  to  several  objects  at  once,  or  rush  at  any 
moment  from  one  occupation  to  another  with  the  abruptness  and 
rapidity  of  lightning.  Caesar  could  be  writing  and  reading,  dictating 
and  listening,  all  at  the  same  time  ;  he  was  wont  to  occupy  four 
amanuenses  at  once ;  and  had  been  known,  on  occasions,  to  employ 
as  many  as  seven  together.  And,  as  if  to  complete  the  picture  of  the 
most  perfect  specimen  of  human  ability,  we  are  assured  that  in  all 
the  exercises  of  the  camp  his  vigour  and  skill  were  not  less  conspicu- 
ous^ He  fought  at  the  most  perilous  moments  in  the  ranks  of  the 
soldiers  ;  he  could  manage  his  charger  without  the  use  of  reins  ;  and 
he  saved  his  life  at  Alexandria  by  his  address  in  the  art  of  swimming." 

From  all  which  it  may  well  be  thought  that  Caesar  was  too  great 
for  the  hero  of  a  drama,  since  his  greatness,  if  brought  forward  in 
full  measure,  would  leave  no  room  for  any  thing  else,  at  least  would 
preclude  any  proper  dramatic  balance  and  equipoise.  It  was  only  a* 
a  sort  of  underlying  potency,  or  a  force  withdrawn  into  the  background 
that  his  presence  was  compatible  with  that  harmony  and  reciprocity 
of  several  ^  characters  which  a  well-ordered  drama  requires.  At  all 
events,  it  is  pretty  clear  that,  where  he  was,  such  figures  as  Brutus 
and  Cassius  could  never  be  very  considerable,  save  as  his  assassins. 
They  would  not  have  been  heard  of  in  our  day,  if  they  had  not 
'*  struck  the  foremost  man  of  all  this  world."  Now,  in  the  drama, 
whatever  there  was  in  Brutus  and  Cassius  that  was  noble,  and  there 
was  much  that  was  noble  in  them,  has  a  full  and  fair  showing;  and 

Caesar  is  sacrificed  to  them,  the  reason  may  be  that  there  WHS 
more  danger  of  doing  injustice  to  them  than  to  him,  inasmuch  a* 
Caesar  co  lid  better  take  care  of  himself. 


430  INTRODUCTION. 

The  honesty  of  Brutus  and  the  ability  of  Cassius  are  very  strong 
features  in  the  drama.  The  latter  is  indeed  much  the  worse  man, 
but  much  the  better  conspirator.  Accordingly,  in  every  case  where 
Brutus  crosses  him,  Brutus  is  wrong,  and  he  is  right,  —  right,  that  is 
if  success  be  their  aim.  Cassius  judges,  and  rightly,  I  think,  that 
the  end  should  give  law  to  the  means  ;  and  that  "  the  honorable  men 
whose  daggers  have  stabb'd  Caesar  "  should  not  be  hampered  much 
with  conscientious  scruples.  Still  Brutus  overawes  him  by  his 
moral  energy  and  elevation  of  character,  and  by  the  open-faced  recti- 
tude and  purity  of  his  principles.  The  character  of  Brutus  is  indeed 
full  of  beauty  and  sweetness.  In  all  the  relations  of  life  he  is  upright, 
gentle,  and  pure ;  of  a  sensitiveness  and  delicacy  of  principle  that 
cannot  bosom  the  slightest  stain;  his  mind  enriched  and  fortified 
Trith  the  best  extractions  of  philosophy;  a  man  adorned  with  all  the 
virtues  which,  in  public  and  private,  at  home  and  in  the  circle  of 
friends,  win  respect  and  charm  the  heart.  Being  such  a  man,  of 
course  he  could  only  do  what  he  did  under  some  sort  of  delusion. 
And  so  indeed  it  is.  Yet  this  very  delusion  serves,  apparently,  to  en- 
noble and  beautify  him,  as  it  takes  him  and  works  upon  him  through 
his  virtues.  At  heart  he  is  a  real  patriot,  every  inch  of  him.  But 
his  patriotism,  besides  being  somewhat  hidebound  with  Patrician 
pride,  is  of  the  speculative  kind,  and  dwells,  where  his  whole  charac- 
ter has  been  chiefly  formed,  in  a  world  of  poetical  and  philosophical 
ideals.  He  is  an  enthusiastic  student  of  books.  And  what  a  delightful, 
what  a  noble  creature,  his  Portia  is  !  How  little  we  see  of  her,  yet 
how  complete  is  our  impression  of  her  character !  Well  might  the 
poet  Campbell  say,  —  "  For  the  picture  of  that  wedded  pair,  at  once 
august  and  tender,  human  nature  and  the  dignity  of  conjugal  faith 
are  indebted."  I  am  not  sure,  however,  but  the  boy  Lucius  is  the 
best  character  in  the  play.  So  loving  and  so  dutiful,  so  careful  for 
his  master  and  so  careless  of  himself,  he  is  indeed  a  mighty  dear 
little  fellow !  Shakespeare's  great  soul  was  especially  at  home  with 
children. 

V  As  a  whole,  this  play  does  not,  to  my  mind,  stand  among  the  Poet's 
masterpieces.  But  it  abounds  in  particular  scenes  and  passages 
fraught  with  the  highest  virtue  of  his  genius.  Among  these  may  be 
specially  mentioned  the  second  scene  of  the  first  Act,  where  Cassius 
lays  the  egg  of  the  conspiracy  in  Brutus'  mind,  warmed  with  such  a 
wrappage  of  instigation  as  to  assure  its  being  quickly  hatched. 
Also  the  first  scene  of  the  second  Act,  unfolding  the  birth  of  the  con- 
spiracy, and  winding  up  with  the  interview,  so  charged  with  domestic 
glory,  of  Brutus  and  Portia.  The  oration  of  Antony  in  Caesar's 
funeral  is  such  an  interfusion  of  art  and  passion  as  realizes  the  very 
perfection  of  its  kind.  Adapted  at  once  to  the  comprehension  of  the 
lowest  mind  and  the  delectation  of  the  highest,  and  running  its  pa- 
flios  into  the  very  quick  of  them  that  hear  it,  it  tells  with  terrible 
tfffeei  on  the  people ;  and  when  it  is  done,  we  feel  that  Csesar's  bleed- 
ing vounds  are  mightier  than  ever  his  genius  and  fortune  were. 
The  quarrel  of  Brutus  and  Cassius  is  deservedly  celebrated.  Dr. 
Johnson  thought  it  "  somewhat  cold  and  unaffecting."  Coleridge 
thought  otherwise.  "  I  know,"  says  he,  "  of  no  part  of  Shakespeare 
that  more  impresses  on  me  the  belief  of  his  genius  being  superhuman, 
than  this  scene."  I  am  content  to  err  with  Coleridge  here,  if  it  be  an 
error.  But  there  is  nothing  in  the  play  that  seems  to  me  touched 
more  divinely  than  the  brief  scene  of  Brutus  and  his  boy  Lucius,  in 
Act  iv.  The  gentle  and  loving  nature  of  Brutus  is  there  out  in  it* 
noblest  and  sweetest  transpiration. 


JULIUS   CAESAR. 


PERSONS  REPRESENTED. 


JULIUS  (LESAR. 
OOTAV 

MARCU 


CICERO,  PUBLIUS,  POPILIUS  LENA,  Sen- 
ators. 

MARCUS  BRUTUS, 
CASSIUS, 
CASCA, 

TREBONIUS,  I     Conspirators 

LIQARIUS,  |  against  Caesar. 

DECIUS  BRUTUS, 
METELLDS  CIMBER, 

ClNNA, 


FLAVIUS  and  MARULLUS,  Tribunes. 
ARTEMIDORDS,  a  Sophist  of  Cnidos. 
A  Soothsayer. 
CINNA,  a  Poet.    Another  Poet. 

LUCILIUS,   TlTINIUS,   ME88ALA,  JOUn| 

CATO,    and   VOLUMNIUS,  Friends  t* 

Brutus  and  Cassius. 
VARRO,  CLITUS,  CLAUDIUS,  STRATO, 

Lucius,    DARDANIUS,    Servants    to 

Brutus. 
PINDARUS,  Servant  to  Cassius 

CALPURNIA,  Wife  to  Caesar. 
PORTIA,  Wife  to  Brutus. 


Senators,  Citizens,  Guards,  Attendants,  &c. 

SCENE,  during  a  great  part  of  the  Play,  at  Rome ;  afterwards  at  Sardis ;  and  near 
Philippi. 


ACT  I.     SCENE  I.     Rome.     A  Street. 
Enter  FLAVIUS,  MARULLUS,  and  a  Throng  of  Ctiixens. 

Flav.  HENCE  !  home,  you  idle  creatures,  get  you  home  ! 
Is  this  a  holiday  ?     What  !  know  you  not, 
Being  mechanical,1  you  ought  not  walk  2 
Upon  a  labouring-day  without  the  sign 
Of  your  profession  ?  —  Speak,  what  trade  art  thou  ? 

1  Git.  Why,  sir,  a  carpenter. 

Mar.  Where  is  thy  leather  apron  and  thy  rule  ? 
What  dost  thou  with  thy  best  apparel  on  ?  — 
You,  sir  ;  what  trade  are  you  ? 

2  Git.  Truly,  sir,  in  respect  of  a  fine  workman,  I  am 
as  you  would  say,  a  cobbler. 

Mar.  But  what  fcrade  art  thou  ?     Answer  me  directly.8 


1  Shakespeare  uses  certain  adjectives  in  the  singular  with  the  sense  of 
the  plural  noun;  as  mechanical  here  for  mechanics.     So,  in  Hamlet,  ii.  2: 
"  'Twas  caviare  to  the  general."     The  sense  in  the  text  is,  *'  Know  you  not 
that,  being  mechanics,  you  ought  not,"  &c. 

2  In  infinitive  verbs  the  Poet  sometimes  omits  the  to,  where  the  verse  so 
carries  it.     Thus,  in  The  Merchant  of  Venice,  i.  3:  "  Whose  own  hard  deal- 
ing teaches  them  suspect  the  thoughts  of  others." 

3  Cobbler,  it  seems,  was  used  of  a  coarse  workman,  or  a  botcher,  in  any  • 
mechanical  trade.     So  that  the  Cobbler's  answer  does  not  give  'die  informa- 
tion required. 


432  JL'LiUS    O^SAK.  ACT    1 

2  Oil.  A  inicktvsir,'  tlrafc  Llidp&  «!  »may  use  with  a  safe  con- 
science ;  which  is  indeed,  sir,  a  mender  of  bad  soles. 

Mar.  What  trade,  thou  knave  ?  thou  naughty  knave,  what 
trade  ? 

2  Git.  Nay,  I  beseech  you,  sir,  be  not  out  with  me :  yet,  if 
you  be  out,  sir,  I  can  mend  you.4 

Mar.  What  meanest  thou  by  that  ?  Mend  me,  thou  saucy 
fellow ! 

2  Git.  Why,  sir,  cobble  you. 

Flav.  Thou  art  a  cobbler,  art  thou  ? 

2  Git.  Truly,  sir,  all  that  I  live  by  is  with  the  awl :  I  med- 
dle with  no  tradesman's  matters,  nor  women's  matters,  but 
with  all.5  I  am  indeed,  sir,  a  surgeon  to  old  shoes ;  when 
they  are  in  great  danger,  I  re-cover  them.  As  proper  men 
as  ever  trod  upon  neat's-leather  have  gone  upon  my  handy- 
work.6 

Flav.  But  wherefore  art  not  in  thy  shop  to-day  ? 
Why  dost  thou  lead  these  men  about  the  streets  ? 

2  Git.  Truly,  sir,  to  wear  out  their  shoes,  to  get  myself  into 
more  work.  But  indeed,  sir,  we  make  holiday,  to  see  Caesar, 
and  to  rejoice  in  his  triumph. 

Mar.  Wherefore  rejoice  ?    What  conquest  brings  he  home  ? 
What  tributaries  follow  him  to  Rome, 
To  grace  in  captive  bonds  his  chariot- wheels  ? 
You  blocks,  you  stones,  you  worse  than  senseless  things ! 
O,  you  hard  hearts,  you  cruel  men  of  Rome, 
Knew  you  not  Pompey  ?     Many  a  time  and  oft 
Have  you  climb'd  up  to  walls  arid  battlements, 
To  towers  and  windows,  yea,  to  chimney-tops, 
Your  infants  in  your  arms,7  arid  there  have  sat 
The  live-long  day,  with  patient  expectation, 
To  see  great  Pompey  pass  the  streets  of  Rome : 
And  when  you  saw  his  chariot  but  appear, 
Have  you  not  made  an  universal  shout, 

4  Of  course  there  is  a  play  upon  the  two  senses  of  out  here.    To  be  out 
with  a  man  is  to  be  at  odds  with  him ;  to  be  out  at  the  toes  is  to  need  a  mend- 
ing of  one's  shoes. 

5  The  original  reads,  "but  urithal;"   which  modern  editions  generally 
change  into  with  awl.     In  Shakespeare's  quibbles,  it  is  often  difficult  to  tell 
which  word  should  be  used;  and,  as  they  were  meant  rather  for  the  ear  than 
the  eye,  it  jpnakes  little  difference. 

6  Proper  is  commonly  used  by  Shakespeare  for  handsome  or  goodly.     See 
page  194,  note  5.     So  in  Hebrews  xi.  23,  it  is  said  that  the  parents  of  Moses 
hid  him  ''because  they  saw  he  was  a  proper  child."  —  Neat  was  applied  to 
all  ca'tie  of  the  bovine  genus,  such  as  bulls,  cows,  and  oxen.     So,  in    The 

Whiter'1  s    Tale,  i.  2:    "The  steer,  the  heifer,  and  the  calf,  are  all  call'd 
neat." 

7  What  is  called  the  nominative  independent:  "  Your  infants  being  in 
your  arms." 


BC.    I  -  JULIUS    CAESAR.  433 

That  Tyber  trembled  underneath  her  banks,* 

To  hear  the  replication  of  your  sounds 

Made  in  her  concave  shores  ? 

And  do  you  now  put  on  your  best  attire  ? 

And  do  you  now  cull  out  a  holiday  ? 

And  do  you  now  strew  flowers  in  his  way 

That  comes  in  triumph  over  Pompey's  blood  ?  9 

Be  gone ! 

Run  to  your  houses,  fall  upon  your  knees, 

Pray  to  the  gods  to  intermit  the  plague 

That  needs  must  light  on  this  ingratitude.10 

Flav.  Go,  go,  good  countrymen ;  and,  for  this  fault, 
Assemble  all  the  poor  men  of  your  sort ; 
Draw  them  to  Tyber  banks,  and  weep  your  tears 
Into  the  channel,  till  the  lowest  stream 

Do  kiss  the  most  exalted  shores  of  all.  —     \_Exeunt  Citizen* 
See,  whe'r  their  basest  metal  be  not  mov'd ! n 
They  vanish  tongue-tied  in  their  guiltiness. 
Go  you  down  that  way  towards  the  Capitol ; 
This  way  will  I.     Disrobe  the  images, 
If  you  do  find  them  deck'd  with  ceremony.12 

Mar.  May  we  do  so  ? 
You  know  it  is  the  feast  of  Lupercal.18 

8  The  Tyber  being  always  personified  as  a  god,  the  feminine  gender  is 
here,  strictly  speaking,  improper.    Milton  says:  "  The  river  of  bliss  rolls  o'er 
Elysian  flowers  her  amber  streams."     But  he  is  speaking  of  the  water,  and 
not  of  its  presiding  power  or  genius.    Drayton  describes  the  presiding  powers 
of  the  rivers  of  England  as  females ;   Spenser  more  classically  represents 
them  as  males. 

9  The  reference  is  to  the  great  battle  of  Munda,  in  Spain,  which  took 
place  in  the  Fall  of  the  preceding  year.     Caesar  was  now  celebrating  his 
fifth  triumph,  which  was  in  honour  of  his  final  victory  over  the  Pompeian 
faction.    Cnseus  and  Sextus,  the  two  sons  of  Pompey  the  Great,  were  leaders 
in  that  battle,  and  Cnseus  perished.  —  Flowers,  in  the  preceding  line,  is  a 
dissyllable.     The  Poet  uses  this,  and  also  various  other  words  of  like  form, 
power,  dower,  bower,  &c.,  as  one  or  two  syllables  indifferently,  to  suit  his 
Terse. 

10  It  is  evident  from  the  opening  scene,  that  Shakespeare,  even  in  dealing 
with  classical  subjects,  laughed  at  the  classic  fear  of  putting  the  ludicrous 
and  sublime  into  juxtaposition.     After  the  low  and  farcical  jests  of  the  saucy 
cobbler,  the  eloquence  of  Marullus  "springs  upwards  like  a  pyramid  of  fire." 
—  Campbell. 

11  Whe'r  is  occasionally  used  by  the  Poet  as  a  contraction  of  whether. 
The  idea  is,  that  even  such  stupid  souls  as  these  have  yet  the  grace  to  be 
ashamed  of  their  conduct. 

12  These  images  were  the  busts  and  statues  of  Caesar,  ceremoniously 
decked  with  scarfs  and  badges  in  honour  of  his  triumph. 

18  This  festival,  held  in  honour  of  Lupercus,  the  Roman  Pan,  fell  on  the 
15th  of  February,  which  month  was  so  named  from  Februus,  a  surname  of 
the  god.  Lupercus  was,  primarily,  the  god  of  the  shepherds,  said  to  have 
been  so  called  because  he  kept  off  the  wolves.  His  wife  Luperca,  was  the 
deified  she-wolf  that  suckled  Romulus.  The  festival,  in  its  original  idea, 
was  meant  for  religious  expiation  and  purification,  February  being  at  thai 
time  the  last  month  of  the  year. 

28 


434  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT   J 

Fla.v.  It  is  no  matter ;  let  no  images 
Be  hung  with  Csesar's  trophies.14     I'll  about, 
And  drive  away  the  vulgar  from  the  streets : 
So  do  you  too,  where  you  perceive  them  thick. 
These  growing  feathers  pluck'd  from  Caesar's  wing, 
Will  make  him  ily  an  ordinary  pitch ; 
Who  else  would  soar  above  the  view  of  men, 
And  keep  us  all  in  servile  fearfulness.  \ExeurJU 

SCENE  II.     TJie  Same.     A  Public  Place. 

Enter,  in  Procession  with  Music,  CAESAR  ;  ANTONY,  for  the 
Course  ;  CALPURNIA,  PORTIA,  DECIUS,  CICERO,  BRUTUS, 
CASSIUS,  and  CASCA  ;  a  great  Crowd  following,  among 
them  a  Soothsayer. 

Cces.  Calpurnia, — 

Oasca.  Peace,  ho !  Caesar  speaks.  [Music  ceases. 

Cces.  Calpurnia, — 

Cal.  Here,  my  lord. 

Cces.  Stand  you  directly  in  Antonius'  way, 
When  he  doth  run  his  course.1  —  Antonius,  — 

Ant.  Caesar,  my  lord  ? 

Cces.  Forget  not,  in  your  speed,  Antonius, 
To  touch  Calpurnia ;  for  our  elders  say, 
The  barren,  touched  in  this  holy  chase, 
Shake  off  their  sterile  curse.2 

Ant.  I  shall  remember : 

When  Caesar  says  Do  this,  it  is  performed. 

Cces.  Set  on ;  and  leave  no  ceremony  out.  [Music. 

Sooth.  Caesar! 

Cces.  Ha !  who  calls  ? 

Casca.  Bid  every  noise  be  still.  —  Peace  yet  again ! 

[  Music  ceases. 

Cces.  Who  is  it  in  the  press  that  calls  on  me  ? 

14  "Caesar's  trophies"  are  the  scarfs  and  badges  mentioned  in  note  12;  ja 
appears  in  the  next  scene,  where  it  is  said  that  the  Tribunes  "  are  put  to 
•ilence  for  pulling  scarfs  off  Caesar's  images." 

1  Marcus  Antonius  was  at  this  time  Consul,  as  Ca3sar  himself  also  was. 
Each  Roman  gens  had  its  own  priesthood,  and  also  its  peculiar  religious  rites. 
The  flarnens,  or  priests,  of  the  Julian  gens  (so  named  from  lulus  the  son  of 
.^Eneas)  had  lately  been  advanced  to  the  same  rank  with  those  of  the  god 
Lupercus;  and  Antony  was  at  this  time  at  their  head      It  was  probably  as 
chief  flamen  of  the  Jnlian  house  that  he  officiated  on  this  occasion  in  "  the 
holy  course." 

2  It  was  an  old  custom  at  these  festivals  for  the  flamens,  all  naked  except 
a  girdle  about  the  loins,  to  run  through  the  streets  of  the  city,  waving  in  the 
hand  a  thong  of  goat's  hide,  and  striking  with  it  such  women  as   offered 
themselves  for  the  blow,  in  the  belief  that  this  would  prevent  or  avert    'the 
iterile  curse." 


BC.    II. 


JULIUS    CAESAR.  48ft 


I  hear  a  tongue,  shriller  than  all  the  music, 
Cry  Gcesar  !     Speak ;  Csesar  is  turii'd  to  hear. 

Sooth.  Beware  the  ides  of  March. 

Gees.  What  man  is  that  ? 

Bru.  A  soothsayer  bids  you  beware  the  ides  of  March.8 

Cces.  Set  him  before  ine ;  let  me  see  his  face. 

Gass.  Fellow,  come  from  the  throng ;  look  upon  Caesar. 

Gees.  What  say'st  thou  to  me  now  ?  speak  once  again 

Sooth.  Beware  the  ides  of  March. 

Gees.  He  is  a  dreamer ;  let  us  leave  him :  —  Pass. 

[Sennet.     Exeunt  all  but  BRUTUS  and  CAS  SIC  a. 

Cass.  Will  you  go  see  the  order  of  the  course  ? 

Bru.  Not  I. 

Gass.  I  pray  you,  do. 

Bru.  I  am  not  gamesome :  I  do  lack  some  part 
Of  that  quick  spirit  that  is  in  Antony. 
Let  me  not  hinder,  Cassius,  your  desires ; 
I'll  leave  you. 

Gass.  Brutus,  I  do  observe  you  now  of  late : 
I  have  not  from  your  eyes  that  gentleness 
And  show  of  love  as  I  was  wont  to  have : 4 
You  bear  too  stubborn  and  too  strange  a  hand 
Over  your  friend  that  loves  you. 

Bru.  Cassius, 

Be  not  deceived :  if  I  have  veil'd  my  look, 
I  turn  the  trouble  of  my  countenance 
Merely  upon  myself.     Vexed  I  am 
Of  late  with  passions  of  some  difference, 
Conceptions  only  proper  to  myself, 
Which  give  some  soil,  perhaps,  to  my  behaviours 
But  let  not  therefore  my  good  friends  be  griev'd, 
(Among  which  number,  Cassius,  be  you  one,) 
Nor  construe  any  further  my  neglect,5 

8  Coleridge  has  a  remark  on  this  line,  which,  whether  true  to  the  subject 
or  not,  is  very  characteristic  of  the  writer:  "If  my  ear  does  not  deceive  me, 
the  metre  of  this  line  was  meant  to  express  that  sort  of  mild  philosophic  con- 
tempt, characterising  Brutus  even  in  his  first  casual  speech."  The  metrical 
analysis  of  the  line  is,  an  Iamb,  two  Anapests,  and  two  Iambs. 

*  The  demonstratives  this,  that,  and  such,  and  also  the  relatives  which, 
that  and  as,  had  not  become  fully  differentiated  in  the  Poet's  time,  and  so 
were  often  used  interchangeably.  So,  a  little  later  in  this  scene :  "  Under 
these  hard  conditions  as  this  time  is  like  to  lay  upon  us."  See  page  224. 
note  20.  This  man,  Caius  Cassius  Longinus,  had  married  Junia,  a  sister  01 
Brutus.  Both  had  lately  stood  for  the  chief  Praetorship  of  the  city,  and 
Brutus,  through  Caesar's  favour,  had  won  it;  though  Cassius  was  at  the  same 
time  elected  one  of  the  sixteen  Praetors  or  judges  of  the  city.  This  is  said  to 
have  produced  a  coldness  between  Brutus  and  Cassius,  so  that  they  did  not 
speak  to  each  other,  till  this  extraordinary  flight  of  patriotism  brought  them 
together. 

6  Construe  is,  I  belisve,  always  used  by  Shakespeare  with  the  first  sylla- 
ble long. 


436  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT   L 

Than  that  poor  Brutus,  with  himself  at  war, 
Forgets  the  shows  of  love  to  other  men. 

Oass.  Then,  Brutus,  I  have  much  mistook  your  passion ; 
By  means  whereof6  this  breast  of  mine  hath  buried 
Thoughts  of  great  value,  worthy  cogitations. 
Tell  me,  good  Brutus,  can  you  see  your  face  ? 

Bru.  No,  Cassius ;  for  the  eye  sees  not  itself 
But  by  reflection  from  some  other  thing.7 

Oass.  'Tis  just: 

And  it  is  very  much  lamented,  Brutus, 
That  you  have  no  such  mirror  as  will  turn 
Your  hidden  worthiness  into  your  eye, 
That  you  might  see  your  shadow.     I  have  hea*d, 
Where  many  of  the  best  respect  in  Rome,8  — 
Except  immortal  Caesar !  —  speaking  of  Brutus, 
And  groaning  underneath  this  age's  yoke, 
Have  wish'd  that  noble  Brutus  had  his  eyes. 

JBru.  Into  what  dangers  would  you  lead  me,  Cassius, 
That  you  would  have  me  seek  into  myself 
For  that  which  is  not  in  me  ? 9 

Oass.  Therefore,  good  Brutus,  be  prepar'd  to  hear : 
And,  since  you  know  you  cannot  see  yourself 
So  well  as  by  reflection,  I,  your  glass, 
Will  modestly  discover  to  yourself 
That  of  yourself  which  you  yet  know  not  of. 
And  be  not  jealous  on  me,10  gentle  Brutus : 
Were  I  a  common  laugher,  or  did  use 
To  stale  with  ordinary  oaths  my  love  u 
To  every  new  protester ;  if  you  know 
That  I  do  fawn  on  men,  and  hug  them  hard, 
And  after  scandal  them;  or  if  you  know 
That  I  profess  myself,  in  banqueting, 
To  all  the  rout,12  then  hold  me  dangerous. 

[Flourish  and  Shout. 

6  Means  was  sometimes  used  in  the  sense  of  cause  or  reason.  Whereof 
refers  to  the  preceding  clause. 

*  By  an  image  or  "  shadow  "  reflected  from  a  mirror,  or  from  water,  or 
•ome  polished  surface. 

8  Respect  is  very  often  used  by  the  Poet  for  consideration.    See  page  101, 
note  16.  —  The  parenthetical  clause,  "  except  immortal  Csesar,"  is  very  em- 
phatic, and  intensely  ironical. 

9  Brutus  likes  to  hear  Cassius  talk  in  that  strain,  and  here  moves  him  to 
go  on,  and  amplify  the  matter. 

10  On  and  of  were  used  indifferently  in  such  cases. 

11  To  stale  is  to  make  common,  to  prostitute.    The  word  is  often  used  in 
that  sense. 

12  The  order,  according  to  the  sense,  is,  "  if  you  know  that,  in  banquet- 
Vftg,  I  profess  myself  to  all  the  rout."  —  To  make  his  flattery  work  the  bet- 
ter, Cassins  here  assures  the  "gentle  Brutus"  that  he  scorns  to  flatter,  that 
be  never  speaks  any  thing  but  austere  truth,  and  that  he  is  extremely  select 
in  his  friendships. 


80.   II. 


JULIUS    CAESAR.  437 


Bru.  What  means  this  shouting  ?     I  do  fear  the  people 
Choose  Cassar  for  their  king. 

Cass.  Ay,  do  you  fear  it? 

Then  must  I  think  you  would  not  have  it  so. 

Bru.  I  would  not,  Cassius ;  yet  I  love  him  well. 
But  wherefore  do  you  hold  me  here  so%  long  ? 
What  is  it  that  you  would  impart  to  me  ? 
If  it  be  aught  toward  the  general  good, 
Set  honour  in  one  eye  and  death  i'  the  other, 
And  I  will  look  on  both  indifferently ; 
For  let  the  gods  so  speed  me  as  I  love 
The  name  of  honour  more  than  I  fear  death.18 

Cass.  I  know  that  virtue  to  be  in  you,  Brutus, 
As  well  as  I  do  know  your  outward  favour. 
Well,  honour  is  the  subject  of  my  story. 
J  cannot  tell  what  you  and  other  men 
Think  of  this  life ;  but,  for  my  single  self, 
I  had  as  lief  not  be  as  live  to  be 
In  awe  of  such  a  thing  as  I  myself. 
I  was  born  free  as  Caesar ;  so  were  you : 
We  both  have  fed  as  well ;  and  we  can  both 
Endure  the  Winter's  cold  as  well  as  he : 
For  once,  upon  a  raw  and  gusty  day, 
The  troubled  Tyber  chafing  with  her  shores, 
Caesar  said  to  me,  Dar'st  thou,  Cassius,  now 
Leap  in  with  me  into  this  angry  flood, 
And  swim  to  yonder  point  ?     Upon  the  word, 
Accoutred  as  I  was,  I  plunged  in, 
And  bade  him  follow :  so  indeed  he  did. 
The  torrent  roar'd,  and  we  did  buffet  it 
With  lusty  sinews,  throwing  it  aside 
And  stemming  it  with  hearts  of  controversy  ;14 
But,  ere  we  could  arrive  the  point  proposed, 15 
Caesar  cried,  Help  me,  Cassius,  or  I  sink! 
I,  as  ^Eneas,  our  great  ancestor, 
Did  from  the  flames  of  Troy  upon  his  shoulder 

13  There  appears  to  be  some  confusion  here;   though  I  am  not  cleat 
whether  it  be  the  Poet's  or  the  speaker's.    Brutus  has  just  said  that  he  "  will 
look  on  both  indifferently,"  and  he  now  says  a  thing  not  consistent  with  that. 
Warburton  would  read  death  instead  of  both;  which  would  remove  the  inco- 
herence.    But  probably  Brutus'  thought  changes  somewhat  while  he  is  in 
the  act  of  expressing  it.     For  he  does  not  seem  to  have  a  very  firm  mental 
grip:  his  head  is  none  of  the  clearest.     This  is  not  the  only  instance  where 
the  latter  end  of  his  thought  seems  to  forget  the  beginning. 

14  This  mode  of  speech  was  not  uncommon.     The  sense  is,  "  with  con- 
tending or  controverting  hearts."    For  instances  of  similar  expression  see 
page  129,  note  3. 

15  The  verb  arrive,  in  its  active  sense,  according  to  its  etymology  waa 
formerly  used  for  to  approach,  or  come  near. 


438  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT    I 

The  old  Anchises  bear,  so  from  the  waves  of  Tyber 

Did  I  the  tired  Caesar :  and  this  man 

Is  now  become  a  god ;  and  Cassius  is 

A  wretched  creature,  and  must  bend  his  bodj, 

If  Cresar  carelessly  but  nod  on  him. 

He  had  a  fever  when  he  was  in  Spain ; 16 

And  when  the  fit  was  on  him  I  did  mark 

How  he  did  shake :  'tis  true,  this  god  did  shake : 

His  coward  lips  did  from  their  colour  fly ; 17 

And  that  same  eye,  whose  bend  doth  awe  the  world, 

Did  lose  his  lustre.     I  did  hear  him  groan : 

Ay,  and  that  tongue  of  his,  that  bade  the  Romans 

Mark  him,  and  write  his  speeches  in  their  books, 

Alas,  it  cried,  Give  me  some  drink,  Titinius, 

As  a  sick  girl.  —  Ye  gods,  it  doth  amaze  me, 

A  man  of  such  a  feeble  temper  should 18 

So  get  the  start  of  the  majestic  world, 

And  bear  the  palm  alone.  [Shout.     Flourish. 

Bru.  Another  general  shout ! 
I  do  believe  that  these  applauses  are 
For  some  new  honours  that  are  heap'd  on  Caesar. 

Cass.  Why,  man,  he  doth  bestride  the  narrow  world, 
Like  a  Colossus ; 19  and  we  petty  men 
Walk  under  his  huge  legs,  arid  peep  about 
To  find  ourselves  dishonourable  graves. 
Men  at  some  time  are  masters  of  their  fates : 
The  fault,  dear  Brutus,  is  not  in  our  stars, 
But  in  ourselves,  that  we  are  underlings. 

w  Caesar  had  three  several  campaigns  in  Spain  at  different  periods  of  his 
life,  and  it  does  not  appe  ir  which  of  them  i^  here  referred  to.  He  was  some- 
what subject  to  epileptic  fits,  especially  in  his  later  years,  as  Napoleon  also  ia 
said  to  have  been.  Fever  was  used  for  sickness,  generally,  and  not  merely 
for  what  we  call  a  fever. 

"  The  image,  very  bold,  somewhat  forced,  and  not  altogether  happy,  is 
that  of  a  cowardly  soldier  running  away  fr-  >m  his  flag.  —  In  "  did  lose  his 
lustre,"  his  is  used  for  its,  the  latter  not  being  then  an  accepted  word.  See 
page  103,  note  24. 

is  Temper  is  here  used  nearly  in  the  sense  of  constitution  or  temperament. 
This  mighty  man,  in  fact,  notwithstanding  his  fiery  energy  and  lightning- 
like  swiftness  of  thought  and  act,  was  of  a  rather  fragile  make,  with  an  al- 
most feminine  delicacy  of  texture.  Cicoro,  who  did  not  love  him  at  all,  in 
one  of  his  Letters  applies  to  him  a,  Greek  word,  the  same  that  is  used  for 
miracle  or  wonder  in  the  New  Testament:  the  English  of  the  passage  being, 
14  This  miracle  (m<>nster?)  is  a  thing  of  terrible  energy,  swiftness,  diligence." 

19  Observe  the  force  of  narrow  here;  as  if  Caesar  were  grown  so  enor- 
mously big  that  even  the  world  seemed  a  little  thing  under  him.  Some  while 
before  this,  the  Senate  had  erected  a  bronze  statue  of  Caesar,  standing  on  a 
globe,  and  inscribed  to  "  Caesar  the  Demigod;"  which  inscription,  however, 
Caesar  had  erased.  —  The  original  Colossus  was  a  bronze  statue  a  hundred 
and  twenty  feet  high,  set  up  astride  a  part  of  the  harbour  at  Rhodes  so  that 
ships  passed  "  *nder  its  huge  legs  "  It  was  one  of  the  sevo-n  wonders  cf  th« 
world. 


SC.   II. 


JULIUS    C^SAR.  439 


Brutus  and  Ccesar :  What  should  be  in  that  Ccesar  f 
Why  should  that  name  be  sounded  more  than  yours  ? 
Write  them  together,  yours  is  as  fair  a  name ; 
Sound  them,  it  doth  become  the  mouth  as  well ; 
Weigh  them,  it  is  as  heavy  ;  conjure  with  them, 
Brutus  will  start  a  spirit  as  soon  as  Ccesar™ 
Now,  in  the  names  of  all  the  gods  at  once, 
Upon  what  meat  doth  this  our  Caesar  feed, 
That  he  is  grown  so  great  ?     Age,  thou  art  sham'd ! 
Rome  thou  hast  lost  the  breed  of  noble  bloods ! 
When  went  there  by  an  age,  since  the  great  flood,21 
But  it  was  fam'd  with  more  than  with  one  man  ? 
When  could  they  say,  till  now,  that  talk'd  of  Rome, 
That  her  wide  walls  encompassed  but  one  man?2* 
Now  is  it  Rome  indeed,  and  room  enough, 
When  there  is  in  it  but  one  only  man. 
O,  you  and  I  have  heard  our  fathers  say 
There  was  a  Brutus  once  *  that  would  have  brook'd 
Th'  eternal  Devil  to  keep  his  state  in  Rome, 
As  easily  as  a  king ! 

Bru.  That  you  do  love  me,  I  am  nothing  jealous ; 
What  you  would  work  me  to,  I  have  some  aim : M 
How  I  have  thought  of  this,  and  of  these  times, 
I  shall  recount  hereafter ;  for  this  present, 
I  would  not,  so  with  love  I  might  entreat  you, 
Be  any  further  mov'd.     What  you  have  said, 
I  will  consider ;  what  you  have  to  say, 
I  will  with  patience  hear ;  and  find  a  time 
Both  meet  to  hear  and  answer  such  high  things. 
Till  then,  my  noble  friend,  chew  upon  this :  ^ 
Brutus  had  rather  be  a  villager 
Than  to  repute  himself  a  son  of  Rome 

20  The  allusion  is  to  the  old  custom  of  muttering  certain  names,  supposed 
to  have  in  them  "  the  might  of  magic  spells,"  in  raising  or  conjuring  up 
spirits.  —  Brutus  and  Ccesar  are  here  printed  in  Italic,  to  show  that  Cassius  is 
referring  to  the  magical  power  of  the  names,  and  not  to  the  men. 

21  By  this  a  Roman  would  of  course  mean  Deucalion's  flood,  not  Noah's. 

22  The  original  has  walks  instead  of  walls.     In  the  next  line  there  is  a 
play  upon  the  words  Rome  and  room,  which  may  have  been  more  consonous 
in  the  Poet's  time  than  thev  are  now. 

23  Alluding  to  Lucius  Junius  Brutus,  who  bore  a  leading  part  in  driving 
out  Tarquin  the  Proud,  and  in  turning  the  Kingdom  into  a  Republic.    After- 
wards, as  Consul,  he  condemned  his  own  sons  to  death  for  attempting  to  re- 
etore  the  Kingdom.    The  Maicus  Junius  3rutus  of  the  play  supposed  himself 
to  be  lineally  descended  from  him.     His  mother,  Servilia,  also  derived  her 
.ineage  from  Servilius  Ahala,  who  slew  Spurius  Majlius  for  aspiring  to  roy- 
alty.   Merivale  justly  remarks  that  "  the  name  of  Brutus  forced  its  possessor 
into  prominence  as  soon  as  royalty  began  to  be  discussed." 

24  To  aim  is  to  guess.     So,  in  Romeo  and  Juliet,  i.   1 :  "  I  cdmfd  so  near 
when  I  suppos'd  you  lov'd."    Jealous  was  often  u**Mi  in  the  sense  of  doubtful. 

25  To  chew  is  literally  the  same  us  to  ruminate     See  page  81  note  6. 


440  JULIUS    C^SAR.  A.CT   JU 

linden  these  hard  conditions  as  this  time 
Is  like  to  lay  upon  us. 

Cass.  I  am  glad  that  my  weak  words 
Have  struck  but  thus  much  show  of  fire  from  Brutua. 

Bru.  The  games  are  done,  and  Caesar  is  returning. 

Cass.  As  they  pass  by,  pluck  Casca  by  the  sleeve ; 
And  he  will,  after  his  sour  fashion,  tell  you 
What  hath  proceeded  worthy  note  to-day. 

Re-enter  CJSSAR  and  his  Train. 

Bru.  I  will  do  so.  —  But,  look  you,  Cassius, 
The  angry  spot  doth  glow  on  Caesar's  brow, 
And  all  the  rest  look  like  a  chidden  train : 
Calpurnia's  cheek  is  pale ;  and  Gcero 
Looks  with  such  ferret  and  such  fiery  eyes  * 
As  we  have  seen  him  in  the  Capitol, 
Being  cross'd  in  conference  by  some  Senator. 

Cass.  Casca  will  tell  us  what  the  matter  is. 

Cces.  Antonius, — 

Ant.  Caesar? 

Cces.  Let  me  have  men  about  me  that  are  fat ; 
Sleek-headed  men,  and  such  as  sleep  o'  nights : 
Yond  Cassius  has  a  lean  and  hungry  look ; 
He  thinks  too  much :  such  men  are  dangerous.27 

Ant.  Fear  him  not,  Cassar ;  he's  not  dangerous ; 
He  is  a  noble  Roman,  and  well  given.28 

Cces.  'Would  he  were  fatter !  but  I  fear  him  not : 
Yet,  if  my  name  were  liable  to  fear, 
I  dp  not  know  the  man  I  should  avoid 
So  soon  as  that  spare  Cassius.     He  reads  much ; 
He  is  a  great  observer,  and  he  looks 
Quite  through  the  deeds  of  men :  he  loves  no  plays, 
As  thou  dost,  Antony ;  he  hears  no  music : a 
Seldom  he  smiles ;  and  smiles  in  such  a  sort 
As  if  he  mock'd  himself,  and  scorn'd  his  spirit 
That  could  be  mov'd  to  smile  at  any  thing. 

26  The  ferret  is  a  very  ferocious  little  animal  of  the  weasel  kind,  noted 
for  its  fire-red  eyes.  —  The  angry  spot  on  Caesar's  brow,  Calpurnia's  pale 
cheek,  and  Cicero  spouting  fire  from  his  eves  as  when  kindled  by  opposition 
in  the  Senate,  make  an  exceedingly  vivid  picture. 

27  So  in  North's  Plutarch,  Life  of  Julius  CcBsar:  "  When  Caesar's  friends 
complained  unto  him  of  Antonius  and  Dolabella,  that  they  pretended  some 
mischief  towards  him,  he  answered  them,  'As  for  those  fat  men,  and  smooth 
combed  heads,  I  never  reckon  of  them ;  but  these  pale  visaged   and  carion 
leane  people,  I  feare  them  most;  meaning  Brutus  and  Cassius." 

28  Well  given  is  well  disposed. 

29  This  note  of  Cassiu<  naturally  draws  to  him  what  is  said  of  '*  th*  man 
that  hath  no  music  in  himself,"  in  The  Merchant  of  Venice,  v.  1. 


8C.    II.  JULIUS    O<E3A.R.  441 

Such  men  as  he  be  never  at  heart's  ease 
Whiles  they  behold  a  greater  than  themselves ; 
And  therefore  are  they  very  dangerous. 
I  rather  tell  thee  what  is  to  be  fear'd 
Than  what  I  fear,  for  always  I  am  Caesar. 
Come  on  my  right  hand,  for  this  ear  is  deaf,30 
And  tell  me  truly  what  thou  think'st  of  him. 

[Exeunt  CAESAR  and  his  Tram.     CASCA  stays. 

Casca.  You  pull'd  me  by  the  cloak :  would  you  speak  with 
me? 

Bru.  Ay,  Casca ;  tell  us  what  hath  chanc'd  to-day, 
That  Caesar  looks  so  sad. 

Casca.  Why,  you  were  with  him,  were  you  not  ?     $ 

Bru.  I  should  not,  then,  ask  Casca  what  had  chanc'd. 

Casca.  Why,  there  was  a  crown  offer'd  him;  and  being 
offer'd  him,  he  put  it  by  with  the  back  of  his  hand,  thus ;  and 
then  the  people  fell  a-shouting. 

Bru.  What  was  the  second  noise  for  ? 

Casca.  Why,  for  that  too. 

Cass.  They  shouted  thrice :  what  was  the  last  cry  for  ? 

Casca.  Why,  for  that  too. 

Bru.  Was  the  crown  offer'd  him  thrice  ? 

Casca.  Ay,  marry,  was't,  and  he  put  it  by  thrice,  every 
time  gentler  than  other ;  and  at  every  putting-by  mine  honest 
neighbours  shouted. 

Cass.  Who  offer'd  him  the  crown  ? 

Casca.  Why,  Antony. 

Bru.  Tell  us  the  manner  of  it,  gentle  Casca. 

Casca.  I  can  as  well  be  hang'd,  as  tell  the  manner  of  it :  it 
was  mere  foolery ;  I  did  not  mark  it.  I  saw  Mark  Antony 
offer  him  a  crown ;  —  yet  'twas  not  a  crown  neither,  'twas  one 
of  these  coronets ;  —  and,  as  I  told  you,  he  put  it  by  once :  but, 
for  all  that,  to  my  thinking,  he  would  fain  have  had  it.  Then 
he  offered  it  to  him  again ;  then  he  put  it  by  again :  but,  to  my 
thinking,  he  was  very  loth  to  lay  his  fingers  off  it.  And 
ihen  he  offered  it  the  third  time ;  he  put  it  the  third  time  by ; 
and  still,  as  he  refus'd  it,  the  rabblement  shouted,  and  clapp'd 
tLeir  chapp'd  hands,  and  threw  up  their  sweaty  night-caps, 
and  uttered  such  a  deal  of  stinking  breath  because  Caesar 
refus'd  the  crown,  that  it  had  almost  choked  Caesar ;  for  he 
swooned,  and  fell  down  at  it :  and,  for  mine  own  part,  I  durst 
not  laugh,  for  fear  of  opening  my  lips  and  receiving  the  bad 
air. 

Cass.  But,  soft !  I  pray  you.     What,  did  Caesar  swoon  ? 

80  This  is  one  of  the  little  touches  of  invention  that  so  often  impart  a  fact- 
like  vividness  to  the  Poet's  scenes. 


442  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT    1. 

Catca.  He  fell  down  in  the  market-place,  and  foain'd  at 
mouth,  and  was  speechless. 

Bru.  'Tis  very  like ;  he  hath  the  falling-sickness. 

Cass.  No,  Cresar  hath  it  not ;  hut  you,  and  I, 
And  honest  Casca,  we  have  the  falling-sickness.31 

Casca.  I  know  not  what  you  mean  by  that ;  hut  I  am  sure 
Cicsar  fell  down.  If  the  tag-rag  people  did  not  clap  him  and 
hiss  him,  according  as  he  pleas'd  ayd  displeas'd  them,  as  they 
use  to  do  the  players  in  the  theatre,  I  am  no  true  man. 

Bru.  What  said  he  when  he  came  unto  himself? 

Oasca.  Marry,  before  he  fell  down,  when  he  perceiv'd  the 
common  herd  was  glad  he  refus'd  the  crown,  he  pluck'd  me 
ope  his  doublet,  and  ofFer'd  them  his  throat  to  cut :  an  I  had 
been  a  man  of  any  occupation,3-  if  I  would  not  have  taken  him 
at  a  word,  I  would  I  might  go  to  Hell  among  the  rogues :  —  and 
BO  he  fell.  When  he  came  to  himself  again  he  said,  if  he  had 
done  or  said  any  thing  amiss,  he  desir'd  their  worships  to 
think  it  was  his  infirmity.33  Three  or  four  wenches,  where  I 
stood,  cried,  Alas,  good  soul!  and  forgave  him  with  all  thei) 
hearts.  But  there's  no  heed  to  be  taken  of  them  :  if  Caesa* 
had  stabb'd  their  mothers,  they  would  have  done  no  less. 

Bru.  And,  after  that,  he  came  thus  sad  away  ? 

Casca.  Ay. 

Cass.  Did  Cicero  say  any  tiling  ? 

Casca.  Ay,  he  spoke  Greek. 

Cass.  To  what  effect  ? 

Casca.  Nay,  an  I  tell  you  that,  I'll  ne'er  look  you  i'  the  facy 
again :  but  those  that  understood  him  smil'd  at  one  another 
and  shook  their  heads  ;  but,  for  mine  own  part,  it  was  Greek  U 
me.34  I  could  tell  you  more  news  too :  Marullus  ancTFlavlua, 
for  pulling  scarfs  off  Caesar's  images,  are  put  to  silence.  Fare 
you  well :  There  was  more  foolery  yet,  if  I  could  remember  it. 

Cass.  Will  you  sup  with  me  to-night,  Casca? 

81  Meaning  the  disease  of  "standing  prostrate"  before  Caesar.     Foling- 
nckness  or  foMing-ewl  was  the  English  name  for  epilepsy  in  Shakespeare'^ 
time. 

82  Men  of  occupation  are  mechanics  or  artizans.     So,  in  Coriolanus,  iv.  6: 
M  You  have  made  good  work,  you  and  your  apron-men;  you  that  stood  so 
much  u i  on  the  voice  of  occupation,  and  the  breath  of  garlic-eaters." 

83  This  is  historical,  and  is  thus  given  in  North's  Plutarch:  **  Thereupon 
also  Caesar  rising  departed  home,  and,  tearing  open  his  dublet  coller,  making 
his  necke  bare,  he  cried  out  aloud  to  his  friends,  that  his  throate  was  readie 
to  offer  to  any  man  that  would  come  and  cut  it.     Notwithstanding,  it  is  re- 
ported that  afterwards,  to  excuse  his  folly,  he  imputed  it  to  his  disease,  sav- 
ing that  their  wits  are  not  perfit  which  have  this  disease  of  the  falling  evill." 

84  A  charming  invention.     Cicero  had  a  long,  sharp  tongue,  and  was 
mighty  fond  of  using  it;  and  nothing  was  more  natural,  supposing  him  to 
have  been  present,  than  that  he  should  snap  off  som^  keen  sententious  say- 
ings; prudently  veiling  them  however  in  a  foreign  language  from  ail   buJ 
those  who  miglit  safely'  understand  them. 


8C.    II.  JULIUS    C^ESAK.  443 

Casca.  No,  I  am  promis'd  forth. 

Cass.  Will  you  dine  with  me  to-morrow? 

Casca.  Ay,  if  I  be  alive,  and  your  mind  hold,  and  your 
dinner  worth  the  eating. 

Cass.  Good ;  I  will  expect  you. 

Casca.  Do  so :   Farewell  both.  [Exit  CASCA» 

Bru.  What  a  blunt  fellow  is  this  grown  to  be ! 85 
He  was  quick  mettle  when  he  went  to  school. 

Ciss,  So  is  he  now,  in  execution 
Of  any  bold  or  noble  enterprise, 
However  he  puts  on  this  tardy  form. 
This  rudeness  is  a  sauce  to  his  good  wit, 
Which  gives  men  stomach  to  digest  his  words 
With  better  appetite. 

Bru.  And  so  it  is.     For  this  time  I  will  leave  you : 
To-morrow,  if  you  please  to  speak  with  me, 
I  will  come  home  to  you ;  or,  if  you  will, 
Come  home  to  me,  and  I  will  wait  for  you. 

Cass.  I  will  do  so :  till  then,  think  of  the  world.  — 

[Exit  BRUTUS. 

Well,  Brutus,  thou  art  noble ;  yet,  I  see, 
Thy  honourable  metal  may  be  wrought 
From  that  it  is  disposed  : m  therefore  'tis  meet 
That  noble  minds  keep  ever  with  their  likes ; 
For*  who  so  firm  that  cannot  be  seduc'd? 
Caesar  doth  bear  me  hard,37  but  he  loves  Brutus : 
If  I  were  Brutus  now,  and  he  were  Cassius, 
He  should  not  humour  me.88     I  will  this  night, 

85  Blunt  here  means,  apparently,  dull  or  slow;  allu'ling  to  the  "tardy 
form  "  Casca  has  just  "put  on  "  in 'winding  so  long  about  the  matter  before 
coming  to  the  point. 

36  Wrought  from  what  it  is  dispos'd  to.  I  am  not  clear  whether  Cassius 
here  refers  to  the  effect  of  his  own  talk,  or  to  that  of  Caesar's  treatment,  in 
warping  Brutus  from  his  natural  b^nt.  He  evidently  regards  Brutus  as  a 
noble  putty-head,  and  goes  on  to  take  order  for  moulding  him  accordingly. 

87  To  bear  me  hard  js,  in  old  English,  to  have  a  grudge  against  me,  or  to 
think  ill  of  me.     The  phrase  occurs  twice  afterwards  in  the  same  sense  itt 
this  play. 

88  To  humour  a  man,  as  the  term  is  here  used,  is  to  turn  and  wind  and 
work  him,  by  playing  on  his  passions.     There  is  some  obscurity  in  the  pas- 
sage, it  being  not  quite  clear  whether  the  last  he  refers  to  Cassius  or  to 
Caesar.     Warburton  explains  it  thus:  "  If  I  were  Brutus,  and  Brutus  were 
Cassius,  he  should  not  cajole  me  as  I  do  him."     .Johnson's  explanation  runs 
thus:  "Caesar  loves  Brutus;  but  if  Brutus  and  I  were  to  change  places,  his 
love  should  riot  take  hold  of  my  affections,  so  as  to  make  me  forget  my 
principles."     It  is  not  easy  to  say  whicn  of  these  is  the  better;  but  the  latter 
best  agre< 

in  many  1 
quested. 

friends,  and  of  greatest  authoritie  and  credite  about  him.  Howbeit,  Cassiua 
friends  did  di.sswade  him,  and  pra^  ed  him  to  beware  of  Cajsars  sweete  en- 
ticements and  to  die  lus>  tyrannical!  favors;  the  whi^h  the}'  said  Caesar  gav« 


441  JULIUS    C.ESAR.  ACT   L 

In  several  hands,39  in  at  his  window  throw, 

As  if  they  came  from  several  citizens, 

Writings  all  tending  to  the  great  opinion 

That  Rome  holds  of  his  name ;  wherein  obscurely 

Caesar's  ambition  shall  be  glanced  at : 

And,  after  this,  let  Caesar  seat  him  sure ; 

For  we  will  shake  him,  or  worse  days  endure.40  [Exit. 


SCENE  III.     The  same.     A  Street. 

Thunder  and  Lightning.     Enter,  from  opposite  sides,  CASCA, 
with  his  Sword  drawn,  and  CICERO. 

Olc.  Good  even,  Casca :  brought  you  Caesar  home  ? l 
Why  are  you  breathless  ?  and  why  stare  you  so  ? 

Casca.  Are  not  you  mov'd,  when  all  the  sway  of  Earth 
Shakes,  like  a  thing  unfirin  ?     O  Cicero  ! 
I  have  seen  tempests,  when  the  scolding  winds 
Have  riv'd  the  knotty  oaks ;  and  I  have  seen 
Th*  ambitious  ocean  swell  and  rage  and  foam, 
To  be  exalted  with  the  threatening  clouds : 2 
But  never  till  to-night,  never  till  now, 
Did  I  go  through  a  tempest  dropping  fire. 
Either  there  is  a  civil  strife  in  Heaven, 
Or  else  the  world,  too  saucy  with  the  gods, 
Incenses  them  to  send  destruction.8 

Gic.  Why,  saw  you  any  thing  more  wonderful  ?  * 

Casca.  A  common  slave  (you  know  him  well  by  sight) 
Held  up  his  left  hand,  which  did  name  and  burn 
Like  twenty  torches  join'd ;  and  yet  his  hand, 
Not  sensible  of  fire,  remained  unscorch'd. 
Besides,  (I  have  not  since  put  up  my  sword,) 
Against  the  Capitol  I  met  a  lion, 

him.  not  to  honour  his  vertue,  but  to  weaken  his  constant  minde,  framing  it 
to  tne  bent  of  his  bow." 

39  In  several  hand-writing*. 

40  We  will  cither  shake  him,  or  endure  worse  days  in  suffering  the  conse- 
quences of  our  attempt.  —  The  Poet  makes  Cassius  overflow  with  intense 
personal  spite  against  Caesar.     This  is  in  accordance  with  what  he  read  in 
J'lutarch:   "Cassius,  being  a  choleric  man,  and   hating  Caesar  privately 
mor=  than  he  did  the  tyranny  openly,  incensed  Brutus  against  him.     It  is 
also  reported  th  it  Brutus  could*  evil  away  with  th3  tyranny,  and  that  Cassiua 
hated  the  tyrant."     Of  course  tyranny  as  here  used  means  royalty 

1  Did  you  attend  or  escort  him  home?     This  use  of  briny  was  common. 

2  So  as,  or  insomuch  as  to  be  exalted  with  the  threatening  clouds.     The 
Peer  often  uses  the  infinitive  mood  thus 

3  Either  the  god*  are  fighting  among  themselves,  or  else  they  are  making 
war  on  the  world  for  bein<r  too  saucy  with  them. 

4  More  is  here  equivalent  to  else:  saw  you  any  thing  more  that  wai 
wonderlul? 


SC.   III. 


JULIUS    C^CSAR.  44/» 


Who  glar'd  upon  me,  and  went  surly  by, 
Without  annoying  ine.     And  there  were  drawn 
Upon  a  heap  a  hundred  ghastly  women,6 
Transformed  with  their  fear  ;  who  swore  they  saw 
Men,  all  in  fire,  walk  up  arid  down  the  streets. 
And  yesterday  the  bird  of  night  did  sit 
Even  at  noon-day  upon  the  market-place, 
Hooting  and  shrieking.6     When  these  prodigies 
Do  so  conjointly  meet,  let  not  men  say, 
These  are  their  reasons,  —  they  are  natural  ;** 
For  I  believe  they  are  portentous  things 
Unto  the  climate  that  they  point  upon. 

Cic.  Indeed,  it  is  a  strange-disposed  time  : 
But  men  may  construe  things  after  their  fashion, 
Clean  from  the  purpose  of  the  things  themselves. 
Comes  Ccesar  to  the  Capitol  to-morrow  ? 

Casca.  He  doth  ;  for  he  did  bid  Antonius 
Send  word  to  you  he  would  be  there  to-morrow. 

Oic.  Good  night  then,  Casca  :  this  disturbed  sky 
Is  not  to  walk  in. 

Casca.  Farewell,  Cicero.  \Exit  CICERO. 

Enter  CASSIUS. 

Cass.  Who's  there? 

Casca.  A  Roman. 

Cass.  Casca,  by  your  voice. 

Casca.  Your  ear  is  good.     Cassius,  what  night  is  this  I 

Cass.  A  very  pleasing  night  to  honest  men. 

Casca.  Who  ever  knew  the  Heavens  menace  so  ? 

Cass.  Those  that  have  known  the  Earth  so  full  of  faults. 
For  my  part,  I  have  walk'd  about  the  streets, 
Submitting  me  unto  the  perilous  night  ; 
And,  thus  unbraced,  Casca,  as  you  see, 
Have  bar'd  my  bosom  to  the  thunder-stone  :  8 

6  Drawn  upon  a  heap  is  draiim  together  in  a  crowd. 

6  Plutarch,  in  the  Life  of  Julius  Ccesar,  gives  the  following  account  of 


these  wonders:  "  Touching  the  fires  in  the  element,  and  spirits  running  up 
and  downe  in  the  night,  and  also  the  solitary  birds  to  be  scene  at  noon  daiea 
sitting  in  the  great  market  place,  are  not  alf  these  signes  perhaps  worth  the 


noting  in  such  a  wonderfull  chance  as  happened?  But  Strabo  the  Philoso- 
pher writeth,  that  divers  men  were  scene  going  up  and  downe  in  fire;  and 
furthermore,  that  there  was  a  slave  of  the  soldiers,  that  did  cast  a  marvellous 
burning  flame  out  of  his  hand;  insomuch  as  they  that  saw  it  thought  he  had 
beiie  burnt,  but  when  the  fire  was  out  it  was  found  he  had  no  hurt." 

7  Casca  refers  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Epicureans,  who  were  slow  to  be- 
lieve that  such  elemental  pranks  had  any  moral  significance  in  them,  or  that 
moral  causes  had  any  thing  to  do  with  them;  and  held  that  the  reasons  of 
them  were  to  be  sought  for  in  the  simple  working  of  natural  laws  and  forces. 
The  mild  recepticism  of  Cicero's  replv  is  exceedingly  graceful  anc  apt. 

8  Thunder-stone  is  the  old  word  for  thunder-bwk,  —  Unbraced  answers  t4 
our  unbuttoned. 


146  JULIUS    C^KSAR.  ACT   I. 

And  when  the  cross  blue  lightning  seem'd  to  open 
The  breast  of  Heaven,  I  did  present  myself 
Even  in  the  aim  and  very  flash  of  it. 

Casca.  But  wherefore  did  you  so  much  tempt  the  Heavens  ? 
It  is  the  part  of  men  to  fear  and  tremble, 
When  the  most  mighty  gods  by  tokens  send 
Such  dreadful  heralds  to  astonish  us. 

Cass.  You  are  dull,  Casca ;  and  those  sparks  of  life 
That  should  be  in  a  Roman  you  do  want, 
Or  else  you  use  not.     You  look  pale,  and  gaze, 
And  put  on  fear,  and  case  yourself  in  wonder,9 
To  see  the  strange  impatience  of  the  Heavens : 
But  if  you  would  consider  the  true  cause 
Why  all  these  fires,  why  all  these  gliding  ghosts, 
Why  birds  and  beasts,  from  quality  and  kind ; 10 
"Why  old  men  fool,  and  children  calculate ; 
Why  all  these  things  change  from  their  ordinance, 
Their  natures,  and  preformed  faculties, 
To  monstrous  quality ;  —  why,  you  shall  find 
That  Heaven  hath  infus'd  them  with  these  spirits, 
To  make  them  instruments  of  fear  and  warning 
Unto  some  monstrous  State.11     Now  could  I,  Casca, 
Name  to  thee  a  man  most  like  this  dreadful  night ; 
That  thunders,  lightens,  opens  graves,  and  roars, 
As  doth  the  lion,  in  the  Capitol ; 12 
A  man  no  mightier  than  thyself  or  me 
In  personal  action ;  yet  prodigious  grown, 
And  fearful,  as  these  strange  eruptions  are. 

8  Attire  yourself  in  wonder,  or  put  on  an  expression  of  wonder.  The 
original  has  cast  instead  of  case,  —  the  reading  adopted  by  White  and  Dyce. 
I  am  not  quite  clear  as  to  the  propriety  of  the  change,  apt  and  expressive  aa 
it  is;  though  the  use  of  put  on,  just  before,  favours  it. 

10  The  sense  of  change,  two  lines  below,  appears  to  be  anticipated  here. 
The  grammar  of  the  passage  is  rather  badly  confused,  yet  the  mealing  is 
clear  enough;  the  general  idea  being  that  of  elements  an'd  animals,  and  even 
of  old  men  and  children,  acting  in  a  manner  out  of  or  against  their  nature 
ami  kind;  or  changing  their  natures  and  original  faculties  from  the  course, 
in  which  they  were  ordained  to  move,  to  monstrous  or  unnatural  modes  of 
action.     The  original  reads,  "old  men,  fools,  and  children."     This  makes 
the  sense  incoherent,  and  is  clearly  wrong.     The  reading  of  the  text  gives 
the  coherent  and  right  sense,  that  old  men  in  being  foolish,  and  children  in 
being  considerate,  are  acting  just  as  much  out  of  character,  as  the  fires  and 
ghosts,  the  birds  ami  beasts  are  in  what  has  already  been  related  of  them. 

11  Some  State  or  Commonwealth  that  has  grown  all  out  of  natural  pro- 
priety. —  As  Cassius  is  an  avowed  Epicurean,  it  may  seem  out  of  character 
to  make  him  speak  thus.     But  he  is  here  talking  for  effect,  his  aim  being  to 
kindle  and  instigate  Casca  into  the  conspiracy;  and  to  this  end  he  does  not 
stick  to  say  what  he  does  not  himself  believe;  ail  which  is  rightly  character- 
istic of  him. 

12  This  reads  as  if  a  lion  were  kept  in  the  Capitol  to  roar  for  them.    But  the 
meaning  is  that  Caesar  roars  in  the  Capitol,  like  a  lion.     Perhaps  Cassius  has 
the  idea  of  Caesar's  claiming  or  aspiring  to  be  among  men  what  the  lion  ia 
among  beasts. 


§O.    III.  JULIUS    CAESAR.  447 

Casca.  'Tis  Caesar  that  you  meaii ;  is  it  not,  Cassias  ? 

Cass.  Let  it  be  who  it  is  •  for  Romans  now 
Have  thews  and  limbs  like  to  their  ancestors ; 18 
But,  woe  the  while !  our  fathers'  minds  are  dead, 
And  we  are  govern'd  with  our  mothers'  spirits ; 
O'ir  yoke  and  sufferance  show  us  womanish. 

Casca.  Indeed,  they  say  the  Senators  to-morrow 
Mean  to  establish  Caesar  as  a  king ; 
And  he  shall  wear  his  crown  by  sea  and  land, 
In  every  place,  save  here  in  Italy. 

Cass.  I  know  where  I  will  wear  this  dagger,  then  ; 
Cassius  from  bondage  will  deliver  Cassius : 
Therein,  ye  gods,  you  make  the  weak  most  strong ; 
Therein,  ye  gods,  you  tyrants  do  defeat : 
Nor  stony  tower,  nor  walls  of  beaten  brass, 
Nor  airless  dungeon,  nor  strong  links  of  iron, 
Can  be  retentive  to  the  strength  of  spirit ; 
But  life,  being  weary  of  these  worldly  bars,  • 
Never  lacks  power  to  dismiss  itself. 
If  I  know  this,  know  all  the  world  besides, 
That  part  of  tyranny  that  I  do  bear 
I  can  shake  off  at  pleasure.  [  Thundei  still* 

Casca.  So  can  I : 

So  every  bondman  in  his  own  hand  bears 
The  power  to  cancel  his  captivity. 

Cass.  And  why  should  Caesar  be  a  tyrant,  then  ? 
Poor  man !  I  know  he  would  not  be  a  wolf, 
But  that  he  sees  the  Romans  are  but  sheep : 
He  were  no  lion,  were  not  Romans  hinds. 
Those  that  with  haste  will  make  a  mighty  fire 
Begin  it  with  weak  straws :  What  trash  is  Rome, 
What  rubbish,  and  what  offal,  when  it  serves 
For  the  base  matter  to  illuminate 
So  vile  a  thing  as  Caesar ! 14     But,  O  grief, 
Where  hast  thou  led  me  ?     I  perhaps  speak  this 
Before  a  willing  bondman :  then  I  know 
My  answer  must  be  made ;  but  I  am  arm'd, 
And  dangers  are  to  me  indifferent. 

Casca.  You  speak  to  Casca ;  and  to  such  a  man 
That  is  no  fleering  tell-tale.16     Hold,  my  hand : 

18  Thews  is  an  old  word,  and  a  right  good  one  too,  for  sinews  or  WMWC&*. 

14  To  shed  splendour  upon  him,  or  to  make  light  for  him  to  shine  by. 

16  Fleering  unites  the  two  senses  of  flattering  and  mocking,  and  so  is  just 
the  right  epithet  for  a  tall-tale,  who  flatters  you  into  saying  that  of  another 
irhich  you  ought  not  to  say,  and  then  mocks  you  by  going  to  that  other  and 
telling  "what  you  have  said. 


44:8  JULIUS    CAESAR.  4.CT   1. 

Be  factious  for  redress  of  all  these  griefs  ;  18 
And  I  will  set  this  foot  of  mine  as  far 
As  who  goes  farthest. 

Oass.  There's  a  bargain  made. 

Now  know  you,  Casca,  I  have  mov'd  already 
Some  certain  of  the  noblest-minded  Romans 
To  undergo  with  me  an  enterprise 
Of  honourable-dangerous  consequence  ; 
And  I  do  know,  by  this,  they  stay  for  me 
In  Pompey's  porch  :  for  now,  this  fearful  night, 
There  is  no  stir  or  walking  in  the  streets  ; 
Ajid  the  complexion  of  the  element 
In  favour's  like  the  work  we  have  in  hand,17 
Most  bloody-fiery  and  most  terrible. 

Casca.  Stand  close  awhile,  for  here  comes  one  in  haste. 

Cass.  'Tis  Cinna  ;  I  do  know  him  by  his  gait  ; 
He  is  a  friend.  — 


CINNA. 

Cinna,  where  haste  you  so  ? 

Cin.  To  find  out  you.     Who's  that  ?  Metellus  Cimber  ? 

Oass.  No,  it  is  Casca  ;  one  incorporate 
To  our  attempt.     Am  I  not  stay'd  for,  Cinna  ? 

Cin.  I'm  glad  on't.     What  a  fearful  night  is  this  ! 
There's  two  or  three  of  us  have  seen  strange  sights. 

Cass.  Am  I  not  stay'd  for  ?  tell  me. 

Cin.  Yes, 

You  are.     O,  Cassius,  if  you  could  but  win 
The  noble  Brutus  to  our  party,  — 

Cass.  Be  you  content.     Good  Cinna,  take  this  paper, 
And  look  you  lay  it  in  the  praetor's  chair, 
Where  Brutus  may  but  find  it  ;  and  throw  this 
In  at  his  window  ;  set  this  up  with  wax 
Upon  old  Brutus'  statue  :  all  this  done, 
Repair  to  Pompey's  Porch,18  where  you  shall  find  U8. 
Is  Decius  Brutus  and  Trebonius  there  ? 

Cin.  All  but  Metellus  Cimber  ;  and  he's  gone 
To  seek  you  at  your  house.     Well,  I  will  hie, 
And  so  bestow  these  papers  as  you  bade  me. 

Cass.  That  done,  repair  to  Pompey's  theatre.  — 

[Exit  CINNA, 
Come,  Casca,  you  and  I  will  yet,  ere  day, 

!•  Factious  seems  to  be  here  used  in  its  original  sense  of  doing  or  active. 
17  Favour  here  is  put  for  appearance,  look,  countenance. 
!8  Pompey's  Porch  was  a  spacious  adjunct  to  the  great  theatre  which 
Pompey  had  built  a  tew  years  before. 


8C.   I. 


JULIUS    (LESAR.  449 


See  Brutus  at  his  house :  three  parts  of  him 
Is  ours  already ; 19  and  the  man  entire, 
Upon  the  next  encounter,  yields  him  ours. 

Casca.  O,  he  sits  high  in  all  the  people's  hearts ! 
And  that  which  would  appear  offence  in  us, 
His  countenance,  like  richest  alchymy, 
Will  change  to  virtue  and  to  worthiness. 

Oass.  Him,  and  his  worth,  and  our  great  need  of  him, 
You  have  right  well  conceited.20     Let  us  go, 
For  it  is  after  midnight ;  and,  ere  day, 
We  wiL  awake  him,  and  be  sure  of  him.  [Exeunt, 


ACT  II.     SCENE  I.    Rome.     BRUTUS'S  Orchard.1 
Enter  BRUTUS. 

Bru.  What,  Lucius,  ho !  — 
I  cannot,  by  the  progress  of  the  stars, 
Give  guess  how  near  to  day.  —  Lucius,  I  say !  — 
I  would  it  were  my  fault  to  sleep  so  soundly.  — 
When,  Lucius,  when ! a     Awake,  I  say !  what,  Lucius ! 

Enter  Lucius. 

Luc.  Call'd  you,  my  lord  ? 

Bru.  Get  me  a  taper  in  my  study,  Lucius : 
When  it  is  lighted,  come  and  call  me  here. 

Luc.  I  will,  my  lord.  [Exit 

Bru.  It  must  be  by  his  death : 8  and,  for  my  part, 
I  know  no  personal  cause  to  spurn  at  him, 
But  for  the  general.4     He  would  be  crown'd :   - 
How  that  might  change  his  nature,  there's  the  question : 
It  is  the  bright  day  that  brings  forth  the  adder ; 5 
And  that  craves  wary  walking.     Crown  him ;  —  that ;  — 

19  The  discord  of  parts  and  is  was  not  ungrammatical  in  the  Poet's  time 

20  Conceit  is  always  used  by  Shakespeare  in  a  good  sense.    Here  it  meani 
conceived. 

1  Orchard  and  garden  were  synonymous.    In  Romeo  and  Juliet,  Capulet'i 
garden  is  twice  called  orchard.     The  word  was  anciently  written  hcrt-yard. 

2  When  !  was  sometimes  used  as  an  exclamation  of  impatience. 

8  Brutus  has  been  casting  about  on  all  sides  to  find  some  other  means  to 
prevent  Caesar's  being  king,  and  here  gives  it  up  that  this  can  be  done  only 
by  killing  him.  Thus  the  speech  opens  in  just  the  right  way  to  throw  us 
back  upon  his  antecedent  meditations. 

4  The  public  cause.    The  use  of  general  in  the  sense  of  public  is  common. 

6  The  Poet  is  apt  to  be  right  in  his  observation  of  Nature.  In  a  brigh: 
Warm  day  the  snakes  come  out  to  bask  in  the  eun.  And  the  idea  is,  that  the 
sunshine  of  roya  ty  will  kindle  the  seroent  in  Caesar. 


450  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT    O. 

And  then,  I  grant,  we  put  a  sting  in  him, 
That  at  his  will  he  may  do  danger  with. 
Th*  abuse  of  greatness  is,  when  it  disjoins 
Remorse  from  power ; 6  and,  to  speak  truth  of  Caesar, 
I  have  not  known  when  his  affections  sway'd 
'More  than  his  reason.7     But  'tis  a  common  proof, 
'That  lowliness  is  young  ambition's  ladder, 
Whereto  the  climber-upward  turns  his  face ; 
But,  when  he  once  attains  the  upmost  round, 
,  He  then  unto  the  ladder  turns  his  back, 
Looks  in  the  clouds,  scorning  the  base  degrees 
By  which  he  did  ascend : 8  so  Cassar  may ; 
Then,  lest  he  may,  prevent.     And,  since  the  quarrel 
Will  bear  no  colour  for  the  thing  he  is,9 
Fashion  it  thus ;  that  what  he  is,  augmented, 
Would  run  to  these  and  these  extremities : 
And  therefore  think  him  as  a  serpent's  egg, 
Which,  hatch'd,  would,  as  his  kind,  grow  mischievous ; 
And  kill  him  in  the  shell. 

Re-enter  Lucius. 

Luc.  The  taper  burueth  in  your  closet,  sir. 
Searching  the  window  for  a  flint,  I  found 
This  paper  thus  seal'd  up ;  and  I  am  sure 
It  did  not  lie  there  when  I  went  to  bed. 

Bru.  Get  you  to  bed  again ;  it  is  not  day. 
Is  not  to-morrow,  boy,  the  ides  of  March? 

Luc.  I  know  not,  sir. 

Bru.  Look  in  the  calendar,  and  bring  me  word. 

Luc.  I  will,  sir.  [JZxil. 

Bru.  The  exhalations,  whizzing  in  the  air, 
Give  so  much  light  that  I  may  read  by  them.  — 

[  Opens  the  Paper,  and  reads. 

e  Remorse  in  Shakespeare  commonly  means  pity  or  compassion.  Powei 
is  apt  to  harden  the  heart,  and  make  men  cruel ;  and  the  logic  of  the  massage 
ia,  that  it  has  had  no  such  effect  on  Caesar;  that  in  all  his  greatiu«&  he  haa 
still  kept  his  tenderness  of  heart. 

7  By  affection  the  Poet  sometimes  means  susceptibility  of  being  affecte& 
by  external  things,  as  distinguished  from  firmness  of  reason.    Here  the  sense 
is,  that  Caesar  has  not  been  corrupted  by  power,  or  drawn  from  the  course  of 
reason  into  any  "  abuse  of  greatness." 

8  Degrees  is  here  used  in  its  primitive  sense  of  steps,  meaning  the  lounds 
of  the  ladder. 

9  This  is  rather  oddly  expressed.    The  meaning  is,  Since  we  have  no 
colour  of  a  pretext,  in  what  Caesar  now  is,  or  in  any  thing  he  has  yet.  done, 
for  driving  this  quarrel  against  him,  let  us  assume  that  the  further  addition 
of  a  crown  will  (Juite  upset  his  nature.  —  The  strain  of  subtle  casuistry  u-ed 
in  this  speech  is  very  remarkable,  and  may  well  provoke  a  qi  estion  as  to 
what  sort  of  a  character  the  Poet  meant  his  Brutus  to  be.     Coleridge  found 
it  very  perplexing.     Certainly  it  is  such  a  style  of  reasoning  as   no  clear- 
headed honest  man  would  use. 


SC.    I.  JULIUS    CJESAR.  451 

Brutus,  tJiou  sleep' st :  awake  and  see  thyself. 

Shall  Rome,  fyc.     Speak,  strike,  redress  !  — 

Brutus,  thou  sleep 'st :  awake  !  — 

Such  instigations  have  been  often  dropp'd 

Where  I  have  took  them  up. 

Shall  Rome,  fyc.     Thus  must  I  piece  it  out : 

Shall  Rome  stand  under  one  man's  awe  ?     What,  Rome  ? 

My  ancestor  did  from  the  streets  of  Rome 

The  Tarquin  drive,  when  he  was  call'd  a  king.  — 

Speak,  strike,  redress!  —  Am  I  entreated 

To  speak  and  strike  ?     O  Rome,  I  make  thee  promise, 

If  the  redress  will  follow,  thou  receivest 

Thy  full  petition  at  the  hand  of  Brutus  ! 

Re-enter  Lucius. 

Luc.  Sir,  March  is  wasted  fourteen  days.10 

[Knocking  within. 

Bru.  'Tis  good.     Go  to  the  gate ;  somebody  knocks.  — 

[Exit  Lucius. 

Since  Cassius  first  did  whet  me  against  Caesar, 
I  have  not  slept. 

Between  the  acting  of  a  dreadful  thing 
And  the  first  motion,11  all  the  interim  is 
Like  a  phantasma  or  a  hideous  dream : 
The  Genius  and  the  mortal  instruments 
Are  then  in  council ; 12  and  the  state  of  man, 
Like  to  a  little  kingdom,  suffers  then 
The  nature  of  an  insurrection. 

Re-enter  Lucius. 

IMC.  Sir,  'tis  your  brother  Cassius  at  the  door, 
Who  doth  desire  to  see  you. 

Bru.  Is  he  alone  ? 

19  The  original  has  fifteen  instead  of  fourteen.  As  this  is  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  fifteenth,  our  inode  of  reckoning  would  count  only  fourteen  dayi 
as  wasted. 

n  "The  first  motion"  is  the  first  thought,  or  the  first  budding  of  the 
thcught  into  purpose.  The  state  of  mind  here  spoken  of  is  wonderfully  rep- 
resented in  the  case  of  Macbeth,  in  the  uncontrollable  nervousness  which  the 
purpose  generates  in  him. 

12  Mortal  is  here  used  in  the  sense  of  deadly ;  for  that  which  Tails,  not 
that  which  dies.  The  Poet  often  uses  it  so ;  as  in  Lady  Macbeth's  fearful 
invocation,  "  Come,  you  spirits  that  tend  on  mortal  thoughts."  The  passage 
is  meant  to  suggest  the  intense  struggle  of  conflicting  motions  that  goes  on 
in  a  man  between  the  first  conception  and  the  final  execution  of  "  a  dreadful 
thing."  The  Genius,  or  the  governing  part,  holds  a  council  with  the  sub- 
ordinate faculties,  its  ministers,  which  shrink  from  executing  its  will;  and 
are  in  revolt  against  the  Genius  until  it  schools  or  forces  them  into  executive 
obedience.  These  ministers  are  the  deadly  instruments  which,  by  standing 
out  from  the  ministry  of  death,  fill  the  mind  with  insurrectionary  disorder. 


JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT    IL 

c.  No,  sir ;  there  are  more  with  him. 
B*  u.  Do  you  know  them  F 

Luc.  No,  sir :  *heir  hats  are  pluck'd  about  their  ears, 

And  half  their  faces  buried  hi  their  cloaks, 

That  by  no  means  I  may  discover  them 

By  any  mark  of  favour. 

Bru.  Let  'em  enter.  —  [Exit  Lucius. 

They  are  the  faction.  —  O  Conspiracy, 

Sham'st  thou  to  show  thy  dangerous  brow  by  night, 

When  evils  are  most  free  ? 13     O,  then,  by  day 

Where  wilt  thou  find  a  cavern  dark  enough 

To  mask  thy  monstrous  visage  ?     Seek  none,  Conspiracy 

Hide  it  hi  smiles  and  affability : 

For  if  thou  put  thy  native  semblance  on,14 

Not  Erebus  itself  were  dim  enough 

To  hide  thee  from  prevention.15 

Enter  CASSIUS,  CASCA,  DECIUS,  CINNA,  METELLUS  CIMBEB, 
and  TREBONIUS. 

Oass.  I  think  we  are  too  bold  upon  your  rest : 
Good  morrow,  Brutus  ;  do  we  trouble  you  ? 

Bru.  I  have  been  up  this  hour,  awake  all  night. 
Know  I  these  men  that  come  along  with  you  ? 

Oass.  Yes,  every  man  of  them ;  and  no  man  here, 
But  honours  you ;  and  every  one  doth  wish 
You  had  but  that  opinion  of  yourself 
Which  every  noble  Roman  bears  of  you. 
This  is  Trebonius. 

Bru.  He  is  welcome  hither. 

Oass.  This  Decius  Brutus.16 

Bru.  He  is  welcome  too. 

Oass.  This,  Casca;  this,  China;  and  this  Metellus  Cimbei. 

Bru.  They  are  all  welcome.  — 

18  When  crimes,  or  perhaps  evil  men,  are  most  free  from  the  restraiEte  of 
law,  or  of  shame. 

14  The  original  has  pnlh  instead  of  put.  Path  is  retained  by  some  editors, 
Betting  a  (,)  after  it,  and  taking  it  in  the  sense  of  pass.  Sir.  Dyce  reads 
put.  I  cannot  say  that  I  am  fully  satisfied  with  either  reading.  Pass  and 
have  have  also  been  proposed. 

16  To  hide  thee  from  discovery,  which  would  lead  to  prevention. 

16  Shakespeare  found  the  name  thus  in  Plutarch.  In  fact,  however,  it 
was  Decimus,  not  Decius.  The  man  is  not  known  to  have  been  any  kin  to 
the  other  Brutus  of  the  play.  He  had  been  one  of  Caesar's  ablest,  most  fa- 
voured, and  most  trusted  lieutenants,  and  had  particularly  distinguished 
himself  in  his  naval  service  at  Venetia  and  Massilia.  After  the  murder  of 
Cassar,  he  was  found  to  be  written  down  in  his  will  as  one  of  his  heirs ;  also 
to  be  prospectively  designated  by  him  for  certain  offices,  which  he  was  so 
patriotic  as  to  accept.  And  he  was  the  second  of  the  conspirators  to  be  slain, 
while  Trebonius  was  the  first ;  who  had  also  served  with  ability  and  noiioui 
iu  Ca3sar's  campaigns. 


8C.    t.  JULIUS    CvESA.K.  453 

What  watchful  cares  do  interpose  themselves 
Betwixt  your  eyes  and  night  ? 

Cass.  Shall  I  entreat  a  word  ?  [  They  whisper* 

Dec.  Here  lies  the  East :  doth  not  the  day  break  here  ? 

Ca&ca.  No. 

Oin.  O,  pardon,  sir,  it  doth  ;  and  yon  gray  lines 
That  fret  the  clouds  are  messengers  of  day. 

Gasca.  You  shall  confess  that  you  are  both  deceiv'd. 
Here,  as  I  point  my  sword,  the  Sun  arises ; 
Which  is  a  great  way  growing  on  the  South, 
Weighing  the  youthful  season  of  the  year.17 
Seme  two  months  hence,  up  higher  toward  the  North 
He  first  presents  his  fire ;  and  the  high  East 
Stands,  as  the  Capitol,  directly  here. 

Bru.  Give  me  your  hands  all  over,  one  by  one. 

Cass.  And  let  us  swear  our  resolution. 

Bru.  No,  not  an  oath :  if  not  the  face  of  men,18 
The  sufferance  of  our  souls,  the  time's  abuse,  — 
If  these  be  motives  weak,  break  off  betimes, 
And  every  man  hence  to  his  idle  bed ; 
So  let  high-sighted  tyranny  range  on, 
Till  each  man  drop  by  lottery.19     But  if  these, 
As  I  am  sure  they  do,  bear  fire  enough 
To  kindle  cowards,  and  to  steel  with  valour 
The  melting  spirits  of  women ;  then,  countrymen, 
What  need  we  any  spur  but  our  own  cause 
To  prick  us  to  redress  ?  what  other  bond 
Than  secret  Romans,  that  have  spoke  the  word, 
And  will  not  palter  ? 20  and  what  other  oath 
Than  honesty  to  honesty  engag'd, 
That  this  shall  be,  or  we  will  fall  for  it  ? 
Swear  priests,  and  cowards,  and  men  cautelous,21 


ng  "  for  morning  fut 
ferent  theme  is  very  finely  conceived,  and  aptly  marks  the  men  as  seeking  to 
iivert  off  the  anxious  thoughts  of  the  moment  by  any  casual  chat.  It  also 
lerves  the  double  purpose  of  showing  that  they  are  not  listening,  and  of  pre- 
venting suspicion,  if  any  were  listening  to  them. 

•*  "  The  face  of  men  "  seems  to  mean  nothing  more  nor  less  than  the 
asp'  ct  of  men,  or  their  anxiety  as  depicted  in  their  looks.  Some  think  the 
reading  corrupt,  but  I  can  see  no  difficult}7'  in  it.  —  The  change  of  construc- 
tion in  the  sentence  gives  it  a  more  colloquial  taste,  without  causing  any 
obscurity  or  confusion  of  thought. 

19  Till  each  man  drop  as  his  allotted  time  provides. 

20  To  palter  is  to  shuffle  or  equivocate.  —  Engaged  is  pledged.     See  page 
103,  note  23. 

21  Cautelous  is  here  used  in  the  sense  of  deceit  or  fraud;  though  its 
original  meaning  is  wary,  circumspect,  the  same  as  cautious.     The  word  in 
Baid  to  have  caught  a  bad  sense  in  passing  through  French  hands. 


454  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT    IL 

Old  feeble  carrions,  and  such  suffering  souls 

That  welcome  wrongs ;  unto  bad  causes  swear 

Such  creatures  as  men  doubt :  but  do  not  stain 

The  even  virtue  of  our  enterprise, 

Nor  th'  insuppressive  mettle  of  our  spirits,22 

To  think  that  or  our  cause  or  our  performance 

Did  need  an  oath ;  when  every  drop  of  blood 

That  every  Roman  bears,  and  nobly  bears, 

Is  guilty  of  a  several  bastardy, 

If  he  do  break  the  smallest  particle 

Of  any  promise  that  hath  pass'd  from  him. 

Cass.  But  what  of  Cicero  ?     Shall  we  sound  him  ? 
I  think  he  will  stand  very  strong  with  us. 

Oasca.  Let  us  not  leave  him  out. 

Oin.  No,  by  no  means. 

Met.  O,  let  us  have  him !  for  his  silver  hairs 
Will  purchase  us  a  good  opinion, 
And  buy  men's  voices  to  commend  our  deeds : 
Jt  shall  be  said,  his  judgment  rul'd  our  hands ; 
Our  youths  and'wildness  shall  no  whit  appear, 
But  all  be  buried  in  his  gravity. 

Bru.  O,  name  him  not !  let  us  not  break  with  him ;  * 
For  he  will  never  follow  any  thing 
That  other  men  begin. 

Cass.  Then  leave  him  out, 

Oasca.  Indeed,  he  is  not  fit. 

Dec.  Shall  no  man  else  be  touch'd  but  only  Caasar  ? 

Cass.  Decius,  well  urg'd.  —  I  thinj|  it  is  not  meet, 
Mark  Antony,  so  well  belov'd  of  Cassar, 
Should  outlive  Cassar :  we  shall  find  of  him 
A  shrewd  contriver ;  and  you  know,  his  means, 
If  he  improve  them,  may  well  stretch  so  far 
As  to  annoy  us  all :  which  to  prevent, 
Let  Ajitony  and  Caesar  fall  together. 

Bru.  Our  course  will  seem  too  bloody,  Caius  Cassias, 
To  cut  the  head  off,  and  then  hack  the  limbs, 
Like  wrath  in  death,  and  envy  afterwards ; 24 
For  Antony  is  but  a  limb  of  Cassar. 

22  Insuppressible  mettle;  the  active  form  with  the  passive  sense.    So6 
page  66,  note  4. 

23  Old  language  for  "  let  us  not  break  the  matter  to  him."  —  This  bit  of 
dialogue  is  very  charming.     Brutus  knows  full  well  that  Cicero  is  not  the 
man  to  play  second  fiddle  to  any  of  them ;  that  if  he  have  any  thing  to  do 
with  the  enterprise  it  must  be  as  the  leader  of  it,  and  the  biggest  man  in  it, 
and  that  is  just  what  Brutus  wants  to  be  himself.    Merivale  thinks  it  a  great 
honour  to  Cicero,  that  the  conspirators  did  not  venture  to  propose  the  matter 
to  him. 

24  j£nvy  here,  as  almost  always  by  Shakespeare,  is  used  for  malice,    See 
page  151,  note  1. 


SC.   I. 


JULIUS    CAESAR.  455 


Let  us  be  sacrificers,  but  not  butchers,  Caius. 
We  all  stand  up  against  the  spirit  of  Caesar ; 
And  in  the  spirit  of  men  there  is  no  blood : 
O,  that  we  then  could  come  by  Caesar's  spirit, 
And  not  dismember  Caesar !     But,  alas, 
Caesar  must  bleed  for  it !     And,  gentle  friends, 
Let's  kill  him  boldly,  but  not  wrathfully ; 
Let's  carve  him  as  a  dish  fit  for  the  gods, 
Not  hew  him  as  a  carcass  fit  for  hounds : 
And  let  our  hearts,  as  subtle  masters  do, 
Stir  up  their  servants  to  an  act  of  rage, 
And  after  seem  to  chide  'em.     This  shall  make 
Our  purpose  necessary,  and  not  envious  ; M 
Which  so  appearing  to  the  common  eyes, 
We  shall  be  call'd  purgers,  not  murderers. 
And  for  Mark  Antony,  think  not  of  him ; 
For  he  can  do  no  more  than  Caesar's  arm 
When  Csesar's  head  is  off.26 

Oass.  Yet  I  fear  him; 

For  in  th'  ingrafted  love  he  bears  to  Caesar  — 

Bru.  Alas,  good  Cassius,  do  not  think  of  him. 
If  he  love  CaesaE,  all  that  he  can  do 
Is  to  himself,  —  take  thought,  and  die  for  Caesar : w 
And  that  were  much  he  should ;  for  he  is  given 
To  sports,  to  wildness,  and  much  company. 

Treb.  There  is  no  fear  in  him ; 28  let  him  not  die ; 
For  he  will  live,  and  laugh  at  this  hereafter.       [  Clock  strikes* 

Bru.  Peace !  count  the  clock. 

Cass.  The  clock  hath  stricken  three. 

Treb.  'Tis  time  to  part. 

Cass.  But  it  is  doubtful  yet 

Whether  Caesar  will  come  forth  to-day  or  no ; 
For  he  is  superstitious  grown  of  late, 
Quite  from  the  main  opinion  he  held  once 
Of  fantasy,  of  dreams,  and  ceremonies.26 

25  Shall  make  our  purpose  seem  the  offspring  of  necessity,  not  of  malice. 
Perhaps  it  should  be  mark  instead  of  make.  —  Shall  is  here  an  instance  of  the 
undiffarentiated  use  of  shall  and  will.    The  same  thing  occurs  in  our  English 
Bible. 

26  Here  we  have,  I  think,  an  apt  specimen  of  the  subtle  historic  irony 
that  pervades  this  play.     There  are  many  other  outcroppings  of  like  sort. 

27  To  take  thought  and  die,  is,  in  old  language,  to  grieve  himself  to  death; 
and  it  would  be  very  strange  if  Antony  should  do  this,  such  a  light-hearted, 
jolly  companion  a8*he  is.     See  page  2'03,  note  10. 

28  Nothing  in  him  to  be  feared,  or  no  fear  on  account  of  him.    The  same 
historic  irony  again. 

29  Caesar  held  the  Epicurean  doctrine,  as  most  of  the  educated  Romans 
of  his  time  also  did;  and  the  scepticism  which  that  doctrine  taught  as  to 
dreams  and  ceremonial  auguries,  was  his  "main  opinion,"  or  the  corner* 


453  JULIUS    CAESAR.  4CT   U. 

It  may  be,  these  apparent  prodigies, 
The  unaccustoin'd  terror  of  this  night, 
And  the  persuasion  of  his  augurers, 
May  hold  him  from  the  Capitol  to-day. 

Dec.  Never  fear  that :  if  he  be  so  resolv'd, 
I  can  o'ersway  him ;  for  he  loves  to  hear 
That  unicorns  may  be  betray'd  with  trees, 
And  bears  with  glasses,  elephants  with  holes,80 
Lions  with  toils,  and  men  with  flatterers : 
But  when  I  tell  him  he  hates  flatterers, 
He  says  he  does,  being  then  most  flattered. 
Let  me  work ; 

For  I  can  give  his  humour  the  true  bent, 
And  I  will  bring  him  to  the  Capitol. 

Oass.  Nay,  we  will  all  of  us  be  there  to  fetch  him. 
Bru.  By  the  eighth  hour :  is  that  the  uttermost  ? 
Gin.  Be  that  the  uttermost ;  and  fail  not  then. 
Met.  Caius  Ligarius  doth  bear  Csesar  hard, 
Who  rated  him  for  speaking  well  of  Pompey : 
I  wonder  none  of  you  have  thought  of  him. 

Bru.  Now,  good  Metellus,  go  along  by  him : 81 
He  loves  me  well,  and  I  have  given  him  reasons ; 
Send  him  but  hither,  and  I'll  fashion  him. 

Cass.  The  morning  comes  upon  's :  we'll  leave  you,  Brutus  :— ^ 
And,  friends,  disperse  yourselves ;  but  all  remember 
What  yen  have  said,  and  show  yourselves  true  Romans. 

Bru.  Good  gentlemen,  look  fresh  and  merrily ; 
Let  not  our  IOOKS  put  on  our  purposes ; 82 
But  bear  it  as  our  Roman  actors  do, 
With  untir'd  spirits  and  formal  constancy : 
And  so,  good-morrow  to  you  every  one.  — 

[Exeunt  all  but  BRUTUS. 

Boy !  Lucius !  —  Fast  asleep  ?    It  is  no  matter ; 
Enjoy  the  honey-heavy  dew  of  slumber : ra 

gtone  of  his  philosophy.    His  later  years,  however,  are  said  to  have  beei 
marked  with  some  rather  gross  instances  of  superstitious  practice. 

80  Unicorns  are  said  to  have  been  taken  by  one  who,  running  behind  a 
tree,  eluded  the  violent  push  the  animal  was  making  at  him,  so  that  his  horn 
spent  its  force  on  the  trunk,  and  stuck  fast,  detaining  the  animal  till  he  was 
despatched  by^  the  hunter.     Sears  are  reported  to  have  been  surprised  by 
means  of  a  mirror,  which  they  would  gaze  on,  affording  their  pursuers  aa 
opportunity  of  taking  the  surer  aim.     Elephants  were  seduced  into  pitfalls, 
lightly  covered  with  hurdles  and  turf,  on  which  a  proper  bait  to  tempt  them 
was  placed. 

81  That  is,  by  his  house ;  make  that  your  way  home. 

82  Let  not  our  looks  betray  our  purposes  by  wearing  or  being  attired  with 
any  indications  of  them. 

88  The  compound  epithet  honey-heavy  is  very  expressive  and  apt.  The 
"dew  of  slumber"  is  called  heavy  because  it  makes  the  subject  feel  Jieavy, 
and  honey-heavy  because  the  heaviness  it  induces  is  sweet. — Brutus  is  uafc- 


BC.    I.  JULIUS    CAESAR.  457 

Thou  hast  no  figures  nor  no  fantasies, 
Which  busy  care  draws  in  the  brains  of  men; 
Therefore  thou  sleep  st  so  sound. 

jEnter  PORTIA. 

Par.  Brutus,  my  lord ! 

J3ru.  Portia,  what  mean  you  ?  wherefore  rise  you  now  ? 
It  is  not  for  your  health,  thus  to  commit 
Your  weak  condition  to  the  raw-cold  morning. 

POT.  Nor  for  yours  neither.     You  Ve  ungently,  Brutus, 
Stole  from  my  bed :  and  yesternight,  at  supper, 
You  suddenly  arose,  and  walk'd  about, 
Musing  and  sighing,  with  your  arms  across ; 
And  when  I  ask'd  you  what  the  matter  was, 
You  star'd  upon  me  with  ungentle  looks : 
I  urg'd  you  further ;  then  you  scratch'd  your  head, 
And  too  impatiently  stamp'd  with  your  foot : 
Yet  I  insisted,  yet  you  answer'd  not ; 
But,  with  an  angry  wafture  of  your  hand, 
Gave  sign  for  me  to  leave  you.     So  I  did ; 
Fearing  to  strengthen  that  impatience 
Which  seem'd  too  much  enkindled ;  and  withal 
Hoping  it  was  but  an  effect  of  humour, 
Which  sometime  hath  his  hour  with  every  man. 
It  will  not  let  you  eat,  nor  talk,  nor  sleep ; 
And,  could  it  work  so  much  upon  your  shape, 
As  it  hath  much  prevail'd  on  your  condition,84 
I  should  not  know  you,  Brutus.     Dear  my  lord, 
Make  me  acquainted  with  your  cause  of  grief. 

JBru.  I  am  not  well  in  health,  and  that  is  all. 

Par.  Brutus  is  wise,  and,  were  he  not  in  health, 
He  would  embrace  the  means  to  come  by  it. 

Bru.  Why,  so  I  do.  —  Good  Portia,  go  to  bed. 

Por.  Is  Brutus  sick  ?  and  is  it  physical 35 
To  walk  unbraced,  and  suck  up  the  humours 
Of  the  dank  morning  ?     What,  is  Brutus  sick, 
And  will  he  steal  out  of  his  wholesome  bed, 
To  dare  the  vile  contagion  of  the  night, 

uraily  led  to  contrast  the  free  and  easy  state  of  the  boy's  mind  with  that  of 
his  own,  which  the  excitement  of  his  present  undertaking  is  drawing  full  of 
visions  and  images  of  trouble. 

84  Condition  was  much  used  for   temper  or  disposition.     See  page  34, 
note  22. 

85  The  Poet  has  physical  again  in  the  sense  of  wholesome  or  medicinal,  in 
Cfariolanus.  i.  5:  "  The  blood  I  drop  is  rather  physical  than  dangerous  to  me.** 
Unbraced  has  occurred  before  for  unbuttoned. 


458  JULIUS    (LESAR.  ACT   H 

Ai'd  tempt  the  rheumy  and  unpurged  air86 
To  add  unto  his  sickness  ?     No,  my  Brutus  ; 
You  have  some  sick  offence  within  your  mind, 
Which,  by  the  right  and  virtue  of  my  place, 
I  ought  to  know  of:  and,  upon  my  knees, 
I  charm  you,37  by  my  once-commended  beauty, 
By  all  your  vows  of  love,  and  that  great  vow 
Which  did  incorporate  and  make  us  one, 
That  you  unfold  to  me,  yourself,  your  half, 
Why  you  are  heavy,  and  what  men  to-night 
Have  had  resort  to  you ;  for  here  have  been 
Some  six  or  seven,  who  did  hide  their  faces 
Even  from  darkness. 

Bru.  Kneel  not,  gentle  Portia. 

Por.  I  should  not  need,  if  you  were  gentle  Brutus. 
Within  the  bond  of  marriage,  tell  me,  Brutus, 
Is  it  excepted  I  should  know  no  secrets 
That  appertain  to  you  ?     Am  I  yourself 
But,  as  it  were,  in  sort  or  limitation,  — 
To  keep  with  you  at  meals,  comfort  your  bed, 
And  talk  to  you  sometimes  ?     Dwell  I  but  in  the  suburbs 
Of  your  good  pleasure  ? 88     If  it  be  no  more, 
Portia  is  Brutus'  harlot,  not  his  wife. 

Bru.  You  are  my  true  and  honourable  wife ; 
As  dear  to  me  as  are  the  ruddy  drops 
That  visit  my  sad  heart.89 

Por.  If  this  were  true,  then  should  I  know  this  secret. 
I  grant  I  am  a  woman ;  but  withal 
A  woman  that  Lord  Brutus  took  to  wife : 
I  grant  I  am  a  woman ;  but  withal 
A  woman  well  reputed,  Cato's  daughter. 
Think  you  I  am  no  stronger  than  my  sex, 
Being  so  fathered  and  so  husbanded  ? 
Tell  me  your  counsels,  I  will  not  disclose  'em. 

86  Rheum  is  specially  used  of  the  fluids  that  issue  from  the  eyes  or  mouth 
So  in  Hamlet  we  have  "  bisson  rheum  "  for  blinding  tears.    Rheumy  here 
means  that  state  of  the  air  which  causes  the  unhealthy  issue  of  such  fluids^ 
or  perhaps  which  makes  people  rheumatic.     So,  in  A  Midsummer-Night' 'f 
Dream,  ii.  1,  Titania  speaks  of  the  Moon  as  "  washing  all  the  air,  that  rheu- 
matic diseases  do  abound." 

87  Charm  is  here  used  nearly,  if  not  exactly,  in  the  sense  of  conjure 
Perhaps  it  should  be  charge,  as  Pope  read. 

88  In  the  outskirts  or  borders,  and  not  at  the  centre  or  near  the  heart,  of 
your  good  pleasure.     A  charming  image. 

89  This  embodies  what  was  then  known  touching  the  circulation  of  the 
blood.     William  Harvey  was  born  in  1578,  fourteen  years  after  Shakespeare, 
and  his  discovery  was  not  published  till  1628,  twelve  years  after  the  Poet's 
aeath.    The.  general  fact  of  the  circulation  of  the  blood  was  known  in  ancient 
times;  and  Harvey's  discovery  lay  in  ascertaining  the  modus  operandi  of  it, 
and  in  reducing  itfto  matter  of  strict  science. 


BC.   I.  JULIUS    (LESAR.  459 

I  have  made  strong  proof  of  my  constancy, 
Giving  myself  a  voluntary  wound 
Here,  in  the  thigh :  can  I  bear  that  with  patience, 
And  not  my  husband's  secrets  ? 

Bru.  O,  ye  gods, 

Render  me  worthy  of  this  noble  wife !  —     \_Knocking  within. 
Hark,  hark !  one  knocks  :  Portia,  go  in  awhile ; 
And  by-and-by  thy  bosom  shall  partake 
The  secrets  of  my  heart : 
All  my  engagements  I  will  construe  to  thee, 
All  the  charactery  of  my  sad  brows : w 

Leave  me  with  haste.     [Exit  PORTIA.]  —  Lucius,  who's  that 
knocks  ? 

Re-enter  Lucius  with  LIGARIUS. 

Luc.  Here  is  a  sick  man  that  would  speak  with  you. 

Bru.  Caius  Ligarius,  that  Metellus  spake  of.  — 
Boy,  stand  aside.  —  Caius  Ligarius,  —  how ! 

Lig.  Vouchsafe  good-morrow  from  a  feeble  tongue. 

Bru.  O,  what  a  time  have  you  chose  out,  brave  Caius, 
To  wear  a  kerchief ! 41     Would  you  were  not  sick  I 

Lig.  I  am  not  sick,  if  Brutus  have  in  hand 
Any  exploit  worthy  the  name  of  honour. 

Bru.  Such  an  exploit  have  I  in  hand,  Ligarius, 
Had  you  a  healthful  ear  to  hear  of  it. 

Lig.  By  all  the  gods  that  Romans  bow  before, 
I  here  discard  my  sickness.     Soul  of  Rome ! 
Brave  son,  deriv'd  from  honourable  loins  ! 
Thou,  like  an  exorcist,42  hast  conjur'd  up 
My  mortified  spirit.     Now  bid  me  run, 
And  I  will  strive  with  things  impossible ; 
Yea,  get  the  better  of  them.     What's  to  do  ? 

Bru.  A  piece  of  work  that  will  make  sick  men  whole. 

Lig.  But  are  not  some  whole  that  we  must  make  sick  ? 

Bru.  That  must  we  also.     What  it  is,  my  Caius, 
1  shall  unfold  to  thee,  as  we  are  going, 
To  whom  it  must  be  done. 

Lig.  Set  on  your  foot, 

40  Charactery  is  defined  "  writing  by  characters  or  strange  marks."    Bru 
tus  therefore  means  that  he  will  divulge  to  her  the  secret  cause  of  the  sad 
ness  marked  on  his  countenance. 

41  It  was  a  common  practice  in  England  for  those  who  were  sick  to  weai 
a  kerchief  on  their  heads.    Thus,  in  Fuller's  Worthies  of  Cheshire :  "  If  any 
there  be  sick,  they  make  him  a  posset  and  tye  a  kerchief  on  his  head;  and  if 
that  will  not  mend  him,  then  God  be  merciful  to  him." 

42  In  Shakespeare's  time,  exorcist  and  conjurer  were  used  indifferently 
The  former  has  since  come  to  mean  only  one  who  drives  away  spiritu ;  the 
latter,  one  who  calls  them  up. 


£60  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT   IL 

And  with  a  heart  new-fir'd  I  follow  you, 
To  do  I  know  not  what ;  but  it  sufficeth 
That  Brutus  leads  ine  on. 

Bru.  Follow  me,  then.  [Exeunt. 

SCENE  II.     The  Same.     A  Room  in  CESAR'S  Palace. 
Thunder  and  Lightning.     Enter  CAESAR,  in  his  Night-gown. 

Cces.  Nor  Heaven  nor  Earth  have  been  at  peace  to-night  :* 
Thrice  hath  Calpurnia  in  her  sleep  cried  out, 
Help,  ho  !  they  murder  Ccesar  !  —  Who's  within  ? 

Enter  a  Servant. 

Sen?.  My  lord  ? 

Cces.  Go  bid  the  priests  do  present  sacrifice, 
And  bring  me  their  opinions  of  success.1 

Serv.  I  will,  my  lord.  [Exit. 

Enter  CALPURNIA. 

Cal.  What  mean  you,  Caesar  ?  think  you  to  walk  forth  ? 
You  shall  not  stir  out  of  your  house  to-day. 

Cces.  Caesar  shall  forth :  the  things  that  threatened  me 
Ne'er  look'd  but  on  my  back ;  when  they  shall  see 
The  face  of  Caesar,  they  are  vanished. 

Cal.  Caesar,  I  never  stood  on  ceremonies,2 
Yet  now  they  fright  me.     There  is  one  within, 
Besides  the  things  that  we  have  heard  and  seen, 
Recounts  most  horrid  sights  seen  by  the  watch. 
A  lioness  hath  whelped  in  the  streets ; 
And  graves  have  yawn'd,  and  yielded  up  their  dead ; 
Fierce  fiery  warriors  fought  upon  the  clouds, 
In  ranks  and  squadrons  and  right  form  of.  war, 
Which  drizzled  blood  upon  the  Capitol ; 
The  noise  of  battle  hurtled  in  the  air  ; 8 
Horses  did  neigh,  and  dying  men  did  groan ; 
And  ghosts  did  shriek  and  squeal  about  the  streets- 
0  Caesar,  these  things  are  beyond  all  use, 
And  I  do  fear  them ! 

Cces.  What  can  be  avoided 

Whose  end  is  purpos'd  by  the  mighty  gods  ? 

1  Their  opinions  of  what  is  to  follow.    The  Poet  often  uses  success  tn 
this  its  Latin  sense:  so  that  we  have  the  phrases  "  good  success"  and  **  ift 
Buccess." 

2  Ceremonies  is  here  put  for  the  ceremonial  or  sacerdotal  interpretation  of 
|vr;>digies  and  omens.     See,  also,  page  455,  note  29. 

*  To  hurtle  is  to  clash,  or  move  with  violence  and  noise. 


sc.  n  JULIUS  CAESAR.  461 

Yet  CiEsar  shall  go  forth ;  for  these  predictions 
Are  to  the  world  in  general  as  to  Caesar.* 

Gal.  When  beggars  die,  there  are  no  comets  seen ; 
The  heavens  themselves  blaze  forth  the  death  of  princes, 

Cces.  Cowards  die  many  times  before  their  deaths ; 
The  valiant  never  taste  of  death  but  once.5 
Of  all  the  wonders  that  I  yet  have  heard, 
It  seems  to  me  most  strange  that  men  should  fear ; 
Seeing  that  death,  a  necessary  end, 
Will  come  Tflhen  it  will  come.  — 

Re-enter  the  Servant. 

What  say  the  augurers  ? 

Serv.  They  would  not  have  you  to  stir  forth  to-day. 
Plucking  the  entrails  of  an  offering  forth, 
They  could  not  find  a  heart  within  the  beast. 

Cces.  The  gods  do  this  in  shame  of  cowardice : 
Caesar  should  be  a  beast  without  a  heart, 
If  he  should  stay  at  home  to-day  for  fear. 
No,  Caesar  shall  not :  Danger  knows  full  well 
That  Caesar  is  more  dangerous  than  he : 
We  are  two  lions  litter'd  in  one  day, 
And  I  the  elder  and  more  terrible ;  — 
And  Caesar  shall  go  forth. 

Gal.  Alas,  my  lord, 

Your  wisdom  is  consumed  in  confidence ! 
Do  not  go  forth  to-day :  call  it  my  fear 
That  keeps  you  in  the  house,  and  not  your  own. 
We'll  send  Mark  Antony  to  the  Senate-House  ; 
And  he  shall  say  you  are  not  well  to-day : 
Let  me,  upon  my  knee,  prevail  in  this. 

Cces.  Mark  Antony  shall  say  I  am  not  well ; 
And,  for  thy  humour,  I  will  stay  at  home. 

Enter  DECIUS. 

Here's  Decius  Brutus,  he  shall  tell  them  so. 

Dec.  Caesar,  all  hail !  Good  morrow,  worthy  Caesar : 

4  These  prodigies  have  no  special  reference  to  me;  they  point  just  ts 
much  to  others. 

6  This  is  historical.  Plutarch  relates  that,  a  short  time  before  Caesar  fell, 
some  of  his  friends  urged  him  to  have  a  guard  about  him.  and  heT  replied 
that  it  was  better  to  die  at  once,  than  live  in  the  continual  fear  of  death. 
A  like  saying  is  reported  as  having  come  from  our  President  Lincoln,  a  short 
time  before  he  was  murdered.  Caesar  is  also  said  to  have  given  as  his  rea- 
son for  refusing  a  guard,  that  he  thought  Rome  had  more  need  of  him,  than 
he  had  gf  Rome;  which  was  indeed  true.  And  it  is  further  stated  that,  on 
the  eve  of  the  fatal  day,  Cassar  being  at  the  house  of  Lepidus  with  some 
friends,  and  the  question  being  raised,  "  What  kind  of  death  is  best?  '  h« 
cut  short  the  discussion  by  saying,  "  That  which  is  least  expected." 


462  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT   IL 

I  come  to  fetch  you  to  the  Senate-House. 

Cces.  And  you  are  coine  in  very  happy  time 
To  bear  my  greeting  to  the  Senators, 
And  tell  them  that  I  will  not  come  to-day. 
Cannot,  is  false ;  and  that  I  dare  not,  falser : 
I  will  not  come  to-day.     Tell  them  so,  Decius. 

Gal,  Say  he  is  sick. 

Gees.  Shall  Caesar  send  a  lie  ? 

Have  I  in  conquest  stretch'd  mine  arm  so  far, 
To  be  afeard  to  tell  gray-beards  the  truth  ?  — 
Decius,  go  tell  them  Csesar  will  not  come. 

Dec.  Most  mighty  Caesar,  let  me  know  some  cause, 
Lest  I  be  laugh'd  at  when  I  tell  them  so. 

Gees.  The  cause  is  in  my  will ;  I  will  not  come : 
That  is  enough  to  satisfy  the  Senate. 
But,  for  your  private  satisfaction, 
Because  I  love  you,  I  will  let  you  know : 
Calpurnia  here,  my  wife,  stays  me  at  home : 
She  dream'd  to-night  she  saw  my  statua,6 
\Yhich,  like  a  fountain  with  an  hundred  spouts, 
Did  run  pure  blood ;  and  many  lusty  Romans 
Came  smiling,  and  did  bathe  their  hands  in  it : 
And  these  doth  she  apply  for  warnings  and  portents 
Of  evils  imminent ;  and  on  her  knee 
Hath  begg'd  that  I  will  stay  at  home  to-day. 

Dec.  This  dream  is  all  an-'ss  interpreted: 
It  was  a  vision  fair  and  fortii-iate. 
Your  statue  spouting  blood  m  many  pipes, 
In  which  so  many  smiling  Romans  bath'd, 
Signifies  that  from  you  great  Rome  shall  suck 
Reviving  blood ;  and  that  great  men  shall  press 
For  tinctures,  stains,  relics,  and  cognizance'.7 
This  by  Calpurnia's  dream  is  signified. 

Oces.  And  this  way  have  you  well  expounded  it. 

Dec.  I  have,  when  you  have  heard  what  I  can  say ; 
And  know  it  now :  The  Senate  have  concluded 

0  In  Shakespeare's  time  statue  was  pronounced  indifferently  as  a  word 
of  two  syllabus  or  three.  Bacon  uses  it  repeatedly  as  a  trisyllable,  and 
spells  it  statua,  as  in  his  Advancement  of  Learning:  "It  is  not  possible  to 
have  the  true  pictures  of  statuaes  of  Cyrus,  Alexander,  Csesar,  no,  nor  of  the 
kings  or  great  personages  of  much  later  years."  The  measure  evidently 
requires  that  it  be  a  word  of  three  syllables  here,  as  also  in  Act  iii.  sc.  2; 
"And  at  the  base  of  Pompey's  statua." 

7  Cognizance  is  here  used  in  a  heraldic  sense,  as  meaning  any  badge  or 
token  to  show  whose  friends  or  servants  the  owners  or  wearers  were.  In  an- 
cieiit  times,  when  martyrs  or  other  distinguished  men  were  executed,  their 
friends  often  pressed  to  stain  handkerchiefs  with  their  blood,  or  to  get  some 
other  relic,  which  they  might  keep,  either  as  precious  memorials  of  them,  or 
as  having  a  kind  of  sacramental  virtue. 


8C.    II.  JULIUS    CAESAR.  463 

To  give  this  day  a  crown  to  mighty  Coesar. 
If  you  shall  send  them  word  you  will  not  come, 
Their  minds  may  change.     Besides,  it  were  a  mock 
Apt  to  be  render'd,  for  some  one  to  say, 
Break  up  the  Senate  till  another  time. 
When  Geesar's  wife  shall  meet  with  better  dreams. 
JL*  Caesar  hide  himself,  shall  they  not  whisper, 
jL/Oy  Geesar  is  afraid  ? 

Pardon  me,  Caesar ;  for  my  dear  dear  love 
To  your  proceeding  bids  me  tell  you  this ; 
And  reason  to  my  love  is  liable.8 

Gees.  How  foolish  do  your  fears  seem  now,  Calpumia ! 
I  am  ashamed  I  did  yield  to  them.  — 
Give  ma  my  robe,  for  I  will  go :  — 

Enter  PUBLIUS,  BRUTUS,  LIGARIUS,  METELLUS,  CASCA, 
TREBONIUS,  and  CINNA. 

And  look  where  Publius  is  come  to  fetch  me.9 

Pub.  Good  morrow,  Caesar. 

Gees.  Welcome,  Publius.  — 

What,  Brutus,  are  you  stirr'd  so  early  too  ?  — 
Good  morrow,  Casca.  —  Caius  Ligarius, 
Caesar  was  ne'er  so  much  your  enemy 
As  that  same  ague  which  hath  made  you  lean.10  — 
What  is't  o'clock  ? 

Bru.  Caesar,  'tis  strucken  eight. 

Gees.  I  thank  you  for  your  pains  and  courtesy. 

Enter  ANTONY. 

See !  Antony,  that  revels  long  o'nights, 

Is  notwithstanding  up.  —  Good  morrow,  Antony. 

Ant.  So  to  most  noble  Caesar. 

Gees.  Bid  them  prepare  within :  — 

I  am  to  blame  to  be  thus  waited  for.  — 
Now,  Cinna :  —  Now,  Metellus :  —  What,  Trebonius ! 
I  have  an  hour's  talk  in  store  for  you. 
Remember  that  you  call  on  me  to-day : 
Be  near  me,  that  I  may  remember  you. 

Treb.  Caesar,  I  will :  —  \_Aside.~\  and  so  near  will  I  be, 
That  your  best  friends  shall  wish  I  bad  been  further. 

8  A  singular  use  of  liable ;  but  meaning,  probably,  that  the  deference,  which 
reason  holds  as  due  to  the  head  of  the  State,  yields  or  stands  second  to  the 
promptings  of  personal  affection. 

9  This  was  Publius  Silicius;   not  one  of  the  conspirators. 

10  Here,  for  the  first  time,  we  have  Cassar  speaking  fairly  in  character ; 
for  he  was  probably  the  most  finished  gentleman  of  his  time,  one  of  the 
sweetest  of  men,  and  as  full  of  kindness  as  of  wisdom  and  courage.  Men- 
vale  aptly  styles  him  u  Caesar,  the  politic  and  the  merciful." 


464  JULIUS    CJESAR.  ACT    II. 

Ones.  Good  friends,  go  in,  and  taste  some  wine  with  me ; 
And  we,  like  friends,  will  straightway  go  together. 

Bru.  [Aside.~]  That  every  like  is  not  the  same,  O  Caesar, 
The  heart  of  Brutus  yearns  to  think  upon ! n  \_Exeunt. 

SCENE  IIL     The  Same.     A  Street  near  the  Capitol. 
JE^titer  ARTEMIDORUS,  reading  a  Paper. 

Artem.  Ccesar,  beware  of  Brutus ;  take  heed  of  Cassius , 
come  not  near  Gasca ;  have  an  eye  to  Ginna ;  trust  not  Tre* 
bonius  ;  mark  well  Metellus  Gimber  ;  Decius  Brutus  loves  thee 
not;  thou  hast  wrong* d  Gaius  Ligarius.  There  is  but  one 
mind  in  all  these  men,  and  it  is  bent  against  Caesar.  If  thou 
be'st  not  immortal,  look  about  you :  security  gives  way  to  con- 
spiracy. The  mighty  gods  defend  thee  !  Thy  lover, 

ARTEMIDO*US. 

Here  will  I  stand  till  Caesar  pass  along, 
And  as  a  suitor  will  I  give  him  this. 
My  heart  laments  that  virtue  cannot  live 
Out  of  the  teeth  of  emulation.12  — 
If  thou  read  this,  O  Caesar,  thou  may'st  live ; 
If  not,  the  Fates  with  traitors  do  contrive.  \JKm,t. 

SCENE  IV.     The  Same.     Another  Part  of  the  same  Street, 
before  the  House  of  BRUTUS. 

Enter  PORTIA  and  Lucius. 

Por.  I  pr'ythee,  boy,  run  to  the  Senate-House : 
Stay  not  to  answer  me,  but  get  thee  gone. 
Why  dost  thou  stay  ? 

Luc.  To  know  my  errand,  Madam. 

Por.  I  would  have  had  thee  there,  and  here  again, 
Ere  I  can  tell  thee  what  thou  should'st  do  there.  — 
[Aside.~\  O  constancy,  be  strong  upon  my  side ! 
Set  a  huge  mountain  'tween  my  heart  and  tongue ! 
I  have  a  man's  mind,  but  a  woman's  might. 
How  hard  it  is  for  women  to  keep  counsel !  — 
Art  thou  here  yet  ? 

Luc.  Madam,  what  should  I  do  ? 

Kun  to  the  Capitol,  and  nothing  else  ? 

n  The  winning  and  honest  suavity  of  Caesar  here  starts  a  pang  of  remorse 
in  Brutus.  Drinking  wine  together  was  regarded  as  a  sacred  pledge  of  truth 
and  honour.  Brutus  knows  that  Caesar  is  doing  it  in  good  faith,  and  it  hurts 
him  to  think  that  the  others  seem  to  be  doing  the  like,  and  yet  are  doing  a 
very  different  thing. 

la  Emulation  is  here  used  in  its  old  sense  of  envious  or  factious  rivalry. 


8C.    IV.  JULIUS    CAESAR.  465 

And  so  return  to  you,  and  nothing  else  ? 

Por.  Yes  ;  bring  me  word,  boy,  if  thy  lord  look  well, 
For  he  went  sickly  forth :  and  take  good  note 
What  Caesar  doth,  what  suitors  press  to  him. 
Hark,  boy !  what  noise  is  that  ? 

Luc.  I  hear  none,  Madam. 

Por.  Pr'ythee,  listen  well : 

I  heard  a  bustling  rumour,  like  a  fray, 
And  the  W:E  1  brings  it  from  the  Capitol. 

Luc.  Sooth,  Madam,  I  hear  nothing. 

Enter  the  Soothsayer™ 

Por.  Come  hither,  fellow.     Which  way  hast  thou  been  ? 

Sooth.  At  mine  own  house,  good  lady. 

Por.  What  is't  o'clock  ? 

Sooth.  About  the  ninth  hour,  lady. 

Por.  Is  Caesar  yet  gone  to  the  Oapitol  ? 

Sooth.  Madam,  not  yet :  I  go  to  take  my  stand, 
To  see  him  pass  on  to  the  Capitol. 

Por.  Thou  hast  some  suit  to  Caesar,  hast  thou  not  ? 

Sooth.  That  I  have,  lady :  if  it  will  please  Caesar 
To  be  so  good  to  Caesar  as  to  hear  me, 
I  shall  beseech  him  to  befriend  himself. 

Por.  Why,   know'st   thou   any   harm's   intended   towards 
him  ? 

Sooth.  None  that  I  know  will  be,  much  that  I  fear  may 

chance. 

Good  morrow  to  you.  —  Here  the  street  is  narrow : 
The  throng  that  follows  Caesar  at  the  heels, 
Of  Senators,  of  Praetors,  common  suitors, 
Will  crowd  a  feeble  man  almost  to  death : 
I'll  get  me  to  a  place  more  void,  and  there 
Speak  to  great  Caesar  as  he  comes  along.  _ 

Por.  I  must  go  in.  —  [Aside.~]  Ah  me,  how  weak  a  thing 
The  heart  of  woman  is !  —  O  Brutus, 
The  Heavens  speed  thee  in  thine  enterprise !  — 
Sure,  the  boy  heard  me.  —  Brutus  hath  a  suit 
That  Caesar  will  not  grant.14  —  O,  I  grow  faint.  — 
Run,  Lucius,  and  commend  me  to  my  lord ; 
Say  1  am  merry  :  come  to  me  again, 
And  bring  me  word  what  he  doth  say  to  thee.  \_Exeunt. 

!8  The  name  of  this  augur  was  Spurinna. 

14  These  words  Portia  addresses  to  Lucius,  to  deceive  him,  by  assigning 
a  false  cause  for  her  present  perturbation. 

30       ' 


4:66  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT   IIL 


ACT   ILL     SCENE  I.     Rome.     Before  the  Capitol;  the 
Senate  sitting. 

A  Crowd  of  People  in  the  Street  leading  to  the  Capitol;  among 
them  ARTEMIDORUS,  and  the  Soothsayer.  Flourish.  Enter 
CAESAR,  BRUTUS,  CASSIUS,  CASCA,  DECIUS,  METELLUS, 
TKEBONIUS,  CINNA,  ANTONY,  LEPIDUS,  POPILIUS,  PUB- 
Lius,  and  Others. 

Cces.  The  ides  of  March  are  come. 

Sooth.  Ay,  Caesar  ;  but  not  gone. 

Art.  Hail,  Caesar  !     Read  this  schedule. 

Dec.  Trebonius  doth  desire  you  to  o'er-read, 
At  your  best  leisure,  this  his  humble  suit. 

Art.  O,  Caesar,  read  mine  first ;  for  mine's  a  suit 
That  touches  Caesar  nearer :  read  it,  great  Caesar. 

Cces.  What  touches  us  ourself  shall  be  last  served. 

A~t.  Delay  not,  Caesar  ;  read  it  instantly. 

Cces.  What,  is  the  fellow  mad  ? 

Pub.  Sirrah,  give  place. 

Gees.  What,  urge  you  your  petitions  in  the  street  ? 
Come  to  the  Capitol.1 

CESAR  enters  the  Capitol,  the  Rest  following.    All  the  Senators 

rise. 

Pop.  I  wish  your  enterprise  to-day  may  thrive. 

Cass.  What  enterprise,  Popilius  ? 

Pop.  Fare  you  well. 

Bru.  What  said  Popilius  Lena? 

Cass.  He  wish'd  to-day  our  enterprise  might  thrive. 
I  fear  our  purpose  is  discovered. 

Rru.  Look,  how  he  makes  to  Csesar :  mark  him. 

Cass.  Casca,  be  sudden,  for  we  fear  prevention.  — 
Brutus,  what  shall  be  done?  If  this  be  known, 
Cassius  or  Caesar  never  shall  turn  back,2 
For  I  will  slay  myself. 

1  The  murder  of  Caesar  did  not,  in  fact,  take  place  in  the  Capitol,  as  is 
here  represented,  but  in  a  hall  or  Curia  adjoining  Pompey's  theatre,  where 
a  statue  of  Pompey  had  been  erected.      'The  Senate  had  various  places  of 
meeting;  generally  in  the  Capitol,  occasionally  in  some  one  of  the  Temples, 
at  other  times  in  one  of  the  Curiae,  of  which  there  were  several  in  and  about 
the  citv. 

2  Some  editors  read  "  Cassius  on  Csesar  never  shall  turn  back."     The 
change  of  or  into  on  is  plausible,  as  such  a  misprint  was  easy ;  yet  I  find  no 
sufficient  occasion  for  it.     The  meaning  of  Cassius  I  take  to  be,  that  he  will 
either  kill  Csesar  or  himself.  —  Here  again  we  have  shall  where  the  idiom  of 
our  time  would  use  wiU. 


SC.    T.  JULIUS    CAESAR.  467 

Bru.  Cassius,  be  constant : 

Popilius  Lena  speaks  not  of  our  purpose ; 
For,  look,  he  smiles,  and  Caesar  doth  not  change. 

Gass.  Trebonius  knows  his  time  ;  for,  look  you,  Brutus, 
He  draws  Mark  Antony  out  of  the  way. 

[Exeunt  ANTONY  and  TREBONIUS.      CESAR  and  the 
Senators  take  their  seats. 

Dec.  Where  is  Metellus  Cimber  ?     Let  him  go, 
And  presently  prefer  his  suit  to  Caesar. 

J3ru.  He  is  address'd : 3  press  near  and  second  him. 

Gin.  Casca,  you  are  the  first  that  rears  your  hand. 

Gasca.  Are  we  all  ready  ? 4 

Gaes.  What  is  now  amiss 

That  Caesar  and  his  Senate  must  redress? 

Met.  Most  high,  most  mighty,  and  most  puissant  Caesar, 
Metellus  Cimber  throws  before  thy  seat 
An  humble  heart,  —  [Kneeling. 

Gees.  I  must  prevent  thee,  Cimber 

These  couchings  and  these  lowly  courtesies  5 
Might  fire  the  blood  of  ordinary  men, 
And  turn  pre-ordinance  and  first  decree 
Into  the  law  of  children.6     Be  not  fond, 
To  think  that  Caesar  bears  such  rebel  blood 
That  will  be  thaw'd  from  the  true  quality 
With  that  which  melteth  fools ;  I  mean,  sweet  words, 
Low-crooked  curtsies,  and  base  spaniel  fawning. 
Thy  brother  by  decree  is  banished : 
If  thou  dost  bend,  and  pray,  and  fawn  for  him, 
I  spurn  thee  like  a  cur  out  of  my  way. 
Know,  Caesar  doth  not  wrong ;  nor  without  cause 
Will  he  be  satisfied.7 


8  Addressed  is  ready,  prepared;  often  so  used. 

4  In  the  original  these  words  begin  the  following  speech  of  Caesar.  Rit- 
Bon  first  suggested  that  they  properly  belonged  to  one  of  the  conspirators. 
The  change  is  made  in  Collier's  second  folio,  assigning  the  words  to  Casca; 
which  is  probably  right,  as  he  was  to  lead  off  in  the  enterprise  of  stabbing. 

6  Among  the  proper  senses  of  to  couch,  Richardson  gives  "to  lower,  to 
Stoop,  to  bend  down;  "  and  he  says  that  "  to  cwich  and  to  lower  have  similar 
appil  3ations,  and  probably  the  same  origin." 

6  "  Pre-ordinance  and  first  decree  "  is  the  ruling  or  enactment  of  the  high- 
est authority  in  the  State.     "  The  law  of  children"  here  referred  to  is,  as 
soon  as  they  have  done  a  thing,  to  turn  round  and  undo  it,  or  to  build  a 
house  of  blocks  or  cobs  for  the  mere  fun  of  knocking  it  over.  —  "  Be  not  fond  " 
is,  "be  not  foolish ;  "  the  common  meaning  of  the  word  in  Shakespeare's 
time.     The  force  of  so  and  as  is  to  be  understood  in  the  sentence. 

7  Caesar  is  made  to  speak  quite  out  of  character  here,  and  in  a  strain  of 
hateful  arrogance,  in  order,  apparently,  to  soften  the  hideous  enormity  of  his 
murder,  and  to  grind  the  daggers  of  the  assassins  to  a  still  sharper  point. 
Perhaps,  also,  it  was  a  part  of  the  irony  already  noted,  to  put  the  haughtiest 
words  in  great  Caesar's  mouth   just  on  the*  eve  of  his  fall. — It  may  be 


468  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT   IH. 

Met.  Is  there  no  voice  more  worthy  than  my  own, 
To  sound  more  sweetly  in  great  Caesar's  ear 
For  the  repealing  of  my  banish'd  brother  ? 

Bru.  I  kiss  thy  hand,  but  not  in  flattery,  Caesar; 
Desiring  thee  that  Publius  Cimber  may 
Have  an  immediate  freedom  of  repeal. 

Oces.  What,  Brutus  ! 

Cass.  Pardon,  Caesar ;  Caesar,  pardon 

As  low  as  to  thy  foot  doth  Cassius  fall, 
To  beg  enfranchisement  for  Publius  Cimber. 

Cces.  I  could  be  well  mov'd,  if  I  were  as  you  ; 
If  I  could  pray  to  move,  prayers  would  move  me : 8 
But  I  am  constant  as  the  northern  star, 
Of  whose  true-fix'd  and  resting  quality 
There  is  no  fellow  in  the  firmament. 
The  skies  are  painted  with  un  number 'd  sparks, 
They  are  all  fire,  and  every  one  doth  shine ; 
But  there's  but  one  in  all  doth  hold  his  place : 
So  in  the  world  ;  'tis  furnish'd  well  with  men, 
And  men  are  flesh  and  blood,  and  apprehensive ;  * 
Yet  in  the  number  I  do  know  but  one 
That  unassailable  holds  on  his  rank, 
Unshak'd  of  motion ; 10  and  that  I  am  he, 
Let  me  a  little  show  it  even  in  this,  — 
That  I  was  constant  Cimber  should  be  banish'd, 
And  constant  do  remain  to  keep  him  so. 

Gin.  O  Caesar,  — 

Cas.  Hence !  wilt  thou  lift  up  Olympus  i 

Dec.  Great  Caesar,  — 

Cas.  Doth  not  Brutus  bootless  kneel  ? 

Casca.  Speak,  hands,  for  me ! 

[CASCA  stabs  CAESAR  in  the  Neck.  CAESAR  catches 
hold  of  his  Arm.  He  is  then  stabbed  by  several 
other  Conspirators,  and  at  last  by  MARCUS  BRU- 
TUS.11 


wsll  to  add,  that  the  carrying  of  deadly  weapons  was  unlawful  in  Rome ;  but 
every  educated  citizen  carried  a  stylus  in  a  sheath ;  and  on  this  occasion  the 
assassins  had  daggers  hidden  in  their  stylus-cases. 

8  If  I  could  seek  to  move  others  by  prayers,  then  I  were  capable  of  being 
myself  moved  bv  the  prayers  of  others. 

9  Apprehensive  is  intelligent,  capable  of  apprehending. 

1°  **  Unshak'd  of  motion  "  is  simply  unmoved,  or  not  subject  to  motion. 
In  the  Poet's  time  of  was  often  used  instead  of  by,  to  express  the  agent.  So, 
continually,  in  the  Bible;  as  in  the  axiomatic  saying,  "  Wisdom  is  justified 
of  her  children."  Also,  "  He  that  loveth  Me  shall  be  loved  of  my  Father." 

11  The  original  stage  direction  is  merely,  they  stab  Ccesar.  That  in  tha 
text  was  formed  by  Mai  one  and  others  from  Plutarch  and  Suetonius,  and  hag 
grown  to  be  universally  received. 


gc.  i.  JULIUS  CAESAR.  469 

Gees.  Et  tu,  Brute  ? 12  —  Then  fall,  Caesar ! 

[Dies.      The  Senators  and  People  retite  in   con 
fusion. 

Gin.  Liberty !  Freedom !  Tyranny  is  dead !  — 
Run  hence,  proclaim,  cry  it  about  the  streets. 

Cass.  Some  to  .the  common  pulpits,  and  cry  out, 
Liberty,  freedom,  and  enfranchisement  !  13 

Bru.  People,  and  Senators,  be  not  affrighted  ; 
Fly  not ;  stand  still :  —  ambition's  debt  is  paid. 

Casca.  Go  tu  the  pulpit,  Brutus. 

Dec.  And  Cassius  too. 

Bru.  Where's  Publius  ? 

Gin.  Here,  quite  confounded  with  this  mutiny. 

Met.  Stand  fast  together,  lest  some  friend  of  Caesar's 
Should  chance  — 

Bru.  Talk  not  of  standing. —  Publius,  good  cheer ! 
There  is  no  harm  intended  to  your  person, 
Nor  to  no  Roman  else :  so  tell  them,  Publius. 

Gass.  And  leave  us,  Publius ;  lest  that  the  people, 
Bushing  on  us,  should  do  your  age  some  mischief. 

Bru.  Do  so  ;  —  and  let  no  man  abide  this  deed, 
But  we  the  doers. 

Re-enter  TREBONIUS. 

Gass.  Where's  Antony  ? 

Tre.  Fled  to  his  house  amaz'd. 

Men,  wives,  and  children  stare,  cry  out,  and  run 
As  it  were  doomsday. 

Bru.  Fates,  we  will  know  your  pleasures  :— 

That  we  shall  die,  we  know ;  'tis  but  the  time, 
And  drawing  days  out,  that  men  stand  upon. 

Gasca.  Why,  he  that  cuts  off  twenty  years  of  life 
Cuts  off  so  many  years  of  fearing  death.14 

Bru.  Grant  that,  and  then  is  death  a  benefit : 

12  There  is  no  classical  authority  for  putting  these  words  into  the  mouth 
of  Caesar;  and  the  English  equivalent,  Thou  too,  Brutus,  sounds  so  much 
better,  that  it  seems  a  pi  y  the  Poet  did  not  write  so.     The  historians,  how- 
ever, relate  that  Caesar  defended  himself  with  his  stylus,  till  he  saw  Brutus 
in  the  press  of  assassins,  with  the  steel  flashing  in  his  hand  also,  and  then 
gave  up,  and  bowed  his  body  to  the  strokes  of  the  illustrious  saints.     Caesar 
had  been  as  a  father  to  Brutus,  who  was  fifteen  years  his  junior;  and  the 
Greek,  Kai  su  teknon,  "  You  too,  my  son,"  which  Dion  and  Suetonius  put 
into  his  mouth,  though  probably  unauthentic,  is  good  enough  to  be  true. 

13  This  is  somewhat  in  the  style  of  Caliban  when  he  gets  glorious  with 
"celestial  liquor,"    The    Tempest,  ii.  2:  "  Freedom,  hey-day!  hey-day,  free- 
dom! freedom,  hey-day,  freedom!  " 

14  This  is  the  last  speech  we  have  from  Casca,  and   this  is  rightly  charac- 
teristic of  him ;  yet  some  editors  have  unaccountably  transferred  it  to  Cassiua 


170  JULIUS    CJLSAR.  ACT    ID 

So  are  we  Caesar's  friends,  that  have  abridged 
His  time  of  fearing  death.  —  Stoop,  Romans,  stoop, 
And  let  us  bathe  our  hands  in  Caesar's  blood 
Up  to  the  elbows,  and  besmear  our  swords  : 
Then  walk  we  forth,  even  to  the  market-place, 
And,  waving  our  red  weapons  o'er  our  heads, 
Let's  all  cry,  Peace,  Freedom,  and  Liberty  ! 

Cass.  Stoop,  then,  and  wash.  —  How  many  ages  hence  \ 
Shall  this  our  lofty  scene  be  acted  o'er 
In  States  unborn  and  accents  yet  unknown ! 

Bm.  How  many  times  shall  Coesar  bleed  in  sport, 
That  now  on  Pouipey's  basis  lies  along 15 
No  worthier  than  the  dust ! 

Cass.  So  oft  as  that  shall  be, 

So  often  shall  the  knot  of  us  be  call'd 
The  men  that  gave  their  country  liberty.16 

Dec.  What,  shall  we  forth  ? 

Cass.  Ay,  every  man  away : 

Brutus  shall  lead ;  and  we  will  grace  his  heels 
With  the  most  boldest  and  best  hearts  of  Rome. 

Bra.  Soft !  who  comes  here  ? 

Enter  a  Servant. 

A  friend  of  Antony's. 

Serv.  Thus,  Bmtus,  did  my  master  bid  me  kneel ; 
Thus  did  Mark  Antony  bid  me  fall  down  ; 
And,  being  prostrate,  thus  he  bade  me  say : 
Brutus  is  noble,  wise,  valiant,  and  honest ; 
Caesar  was  mighty,  bold,  royal,  and  loving : 
Say  I  love  Brutus,  and  I  honour  him ; 
Say  I  fear'd  Ca3sar,  honour'd  him,  and  lov'd  him. 
If  Brutus  will  vouchsafe  that  Antony 
May  safely  come  to  him,  and  be  resolv'd17 
How  Caesar  hath  deserv'd  to  lie  in  death, 
Mark  Antony  shall  not  love  Caesar  dead 
So  well  as  Brutus  living ;  but  will  follow 

16  So  it  was  in  fact:  Caesar  fell  at  the  pedestal  of  Pompey's  statue;  th6 
ttatue  itself  dripping  with  the  blood  that  spurted  from  him. 

16  These  three  speeches,  vain-gloriously  anticipating  the  stage  celebrity 
of  the  deed,  are  very  strange;  and,  unless  there  be  a  shrewd,  delicate  irony 
lurking  in  them,  I  am  at  a  loss  to  understand  the  purpose  of  them.  Their 
effect  on  my  mind  has  long  been  to  give  a  very  ambitious  air  to  the  work  of 
these  professional  patriots,  and  to  cast  a  highly  theatrical  colour  on  their  al- 
leged virtue;  as  if  they  had  sought  to  immortalize  themselves  by  "  striking 
the  foremost  man  of  all  this  world."  And  this  accords  with  one  of  Meri- 
vale's  close  remarks  about  Brutus,  calling  him  "  the  pedantic  aspi?*ant  to 
philosophic  renown." 

I?  fiesolvtd  was  often  used  in  the  sense  of  informed  or  assured. 


SO.   I.  JULIUS    CAESAR.  47 J 

The  fortunes  and  affairs  of  noble  Brutus 
Thorough  the  hazards  of  this  untrod  state 18 
With  all  true  faith.     So  says  my  master  Antony. 

Bru.  Thy  master  is  a  wise  and  valiant  Roman ; 
I  never  thought  him  worse. 
Tell  him,  so  please  him  come  unto  this  place, 
He  shall  be  satisfied ;  and,  by  my  honour, 
Depart  untouch'd. 

Serv.  I'll  fetch  him  presently.  [jEfei'4 

Bru.  I  know  that  we  shall  have  him  well  to  friend. 

Cass.     I  wish  we  may ;  but  yet  have  I  a  mind 
That  fears  him  much,  and  my  misgiving  still 
Falls  shrewdly  to  the  purpose. 

Bru.  But  here  comes  Antony.  — 

Re-enter  ANTONY. 

Welcome,  Mark  Antony. 

Ant.  O,  mighty  Caesar !  dost  thou  lie  so  low  ? 
Are  all  thy  conquests,  glories,  triumphs,  spoils, 
Shrunk  to  this  little  measure  ?     Fare  thee  well.  — 
I  know  not,  gentlemen,  what  you  intend, 
Who  else  must  be  let  blood,  who  else  is  rank  : 19 
If  I  myself,  there  is  no  hour  so  fit 
As  Caesar's  death-hour  ;  nor  no  instrument 
Of  half  that  worth  as  those  your  swords,  made  rich 
With  the  most  noble  blood  of  all  this  world. 
I  do  beseech  ye,  if  you  bear  me  hard, 
Now,  whilst  your  purpled  hands  do  reek  and  smoke, 
Fulfil  your  pleasure.     Live  a  thousand  years, 
I  shall  not  find  myself  so  apt  to  die : 
No  place  will  please  me  so,  no  mean  of  death, 
As  here  by  Caesar,  and  by  you  cut  off, 
The  choice  and  master  spirits  of  this  age. 

Bru.  O,  Antony,  beg  not  your  death  of  us. 
Though  now  we  must  appear  bloody  and  cruel, 
As,  by  our  hands  and  this  our  present  act, 
You  see  we  do ;  yet  see  you  but  our  hands, 
And  this  the  bleeding  business  they  have  done : 
Our  hearts  you  see  not ;  they  are  pitiful ; 
And  pity  to  the  general  wrong  of  Rome  — 

18  Thorough  and  through  are  but  different  forms  of  the  same  word.     Th« 
Poet  repeatedly  has  thorough  for  through  and  also  throughly  for  thoroughly. 
The  usage  is  common  in  the  Bible. 

19  Who  else  may  be  supposed  to  have  overtopped  his  equals,  and  grown 
too  high  for  the  public  safety.     So,  in  the  speech  of  Oliver  in  As  You  Like  72, 
i.  1,  when  incen-ed  at  the  high  bearing  of  Orlando:  "Is  it  even  so?  begin 
you  to  grow  upon  me?     I  will  physic  your  rankness." 


472  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT    III 

As  fire  drives  out  fire,20  so  pity  pity  — 

Hath  done  this  deed  on  Caesar.     For  your  part, 

To  you  our  swords  have  leaden  points,  Mark  Antony, 

Our  arms  no  strength  of  malice ; 21  and  our  hearts, 

Of  brothers'  temper,  do  receive  you  in 

With  all  kind  love,  good  thoughts,  and  reverence. 

Cass.  Your  voice  shall  be  as  strong  as  any  man's 
In  the  disposing  of  new  dignities.22 

Bru.  Only  be  patient  till  we  have  appeas'd 
The  multitude,  beside  themselves  with  fear, 
And  then  we  will  deliver  you  the  cause, 
Why  I,  that  did  love  Caesar  when  I  struck  him, 
Have  thus  proceeded. 

Ant.  I  doubt  not  of  your  wisdom. 

Let  each  man  render  me  his  bloody  hand : 
First,  Marcus  Brutus,  will  I  shake  with  you ;  — 
Next,  Caius  Cassius,  do  I  take  your  hand ;  — 
Now,  Decius  Brutus,  yours;  —  now  yours,  Metellus;  — 
Yours,  Cinna ;  —  and,  my  valiant  Casca,  yours ;  — 
Though  last,  not  least  in  love,  yours,  good  Trebonius. 
Gentlemen  all,  —  alas,  what  shall  I  say  ? 
My  credit  now  stands  on  such  slippery  ground, 
That  one  of  two  bad  ways  you  must  conceit  me,28 
Either  a  coward  or  a  flatterer.  — 
That  I  did  love  thee,  Ca3sar,  O,  'tis  true : 
If,  then,  thy  spirit  look  upon  us  now, 
Shall  it  not  grieve  thee  dearer  than  thy  death,24 
To  see  thy  Antony  making  his  peace, 
Shaking  the  bloody  fingers  of  thy  foes,  — 

20  pir€t  is  another  of  the  words  which  Shakespeare   uses  as  one  or  two 
syllables  indifferently,  to  suit  his  verse.     Flere  the  first  fire  is  two  syllables, 
the  second  one.  —  The  allusion  is  to  the  old  way  of  salving  a  burn  by  hold- 
ing it  up  to  the  fire.    So,  in  Romeo  and  Juliet,  i  '2:  "  Tut,  man,  one  fire  burns 
out  another's  burning;  one  pain  is  lessen' d  by  another's  anguish." 

21  In  the  old  copies,  this  clause  is  disjoined  from  the  preceding  part  of  the 
sentence,  linked  to  the  following,  and  printed  thus:  "  Our  arms  in  strength  of 
malice,  and  our  hearts  of  brothers'  temper,  do  receive  you  in,"  &c.    It  seems 
hardly  possible  to  squeeze  any  consistent  meaning  out  of  the  words,  "  our  arms 
in  strength  of  malice,"  as  thus  ordered.     The  changing  of  in  into  no  was  pro- 
posed by  Steevens,  approved  by  Singer,  and  seems  required  by  the  rest  of 
the  sentence.     Dyce  adopts  it. 

22  This  little  speech  is  charmingly  characteristic.     Brutus  has  been  talk- 
ing about "  our  hearts,"  and  "  kind  love,  good  thoughts,  and  reverence."   T« 
Cassius,  all  that  is  mere  rose-water  humbug,  and  he  knows  it  is  so  to  Antony 
too.    He  therefore  hastens  to  put  in  such  motives  as  he  knows  will  have 
weight  with  Antony,  as  the}"  also  have  with  himself.     Cassius  was  another  of 
the  stabbers  to  whom  Caesar  had  prospectively  assigned  a  province,  and  who 
was  more  than  willing  to  take  it  on  that  authority. 

28   Conceive  of  me.     See  page  449,  note  20. 

24  The  Poet  uses  dear  repeatedly  in  the  same  way  as  here.     See  page  36, 
note  2,  and  page  237,  note  6. 


SC.    I.  JULIUS    CAESAR.  473 

Most  noble !  —  in  the  presence  of  thy  corse  ? 

Had  I  as  many  eyes  as  thou  hast  wounds, 

Weeping  as  fast  as  they  stream  forth  thy  blood, 

It  would  become  me  better  than  to  close 

In  terms  of  friendship  with  thine  enemies. 

Pardon  me,  Julius  !     Here  wast  thou  bay'd,  brave  heart ;  * 

Here  didst  thou  fall ;  and  here  thy  hunters  stand, 

Sign'd  in  thy  spoil,  and  crimson'd  in  thy  lethe.26 — 

O  world,  thou  wast  the  forest  to  this  hart ; 

And  this  indeed,  O  world,  the  heart  of  thee.27  — 

How  like  a  deer,  strucken  by  many  princes, 

Dost  thou  here  lie ! 

Gass.  Mark  Antony, — 

Ant.  Pardon  me,  Caius  Cassius : 

The  enemies  of  Caesar  shall  say  this ; 
Then,  in  a  friend,  it  is  cold  modesty. 

Oass.  I  blame  you  not  for  praising  Caesar  so ; 
But  what  compact  mean  you  to  have  with  us  ? 28 
Will  you  be  prick'd  in  number  of  our  friends ; 
Or  shall  we  on,  and  not  depend  on  you  ? 

Ant.  Therefore  I  took  your  hands ;  ®  but  was  indeed 
Sway'd  from  the  point,  by  looking  down  on  Caesar. 
Friends  am  I  with  you  all,  and  love  you  all ; 
Upon  this  hope,  that  you  shall  give  me  reasons 
Why  and  wherein  Caesar  was  dangerous. 

Bru.  Or  else  were  this  a  savage  spectacle. 
Our  reasons  are  so  full  of  good  regard, 
That  were  you,  Antony,  the  son  of  Caesar, 
You  should  be  satisfied. 

Ant.  That's  all  I  seek : 

And  am  moreover  suitor  that  I  may 
Produce  his  body  to  the  market-place ; 30 
And  in  the  pulpit,  as  becomes  a.  friend, 
Speak  in  the  order  of  his  funeral. 

J3ru.  You  shall,  Mark  Antony. 

Cass.  Brutus,  a  word  with  you. 

25  Bay'd  is  barked  at,  worried,  and  pursued,  as  a  deer  by  hounds. 

26  Lethe  is  used  by  many  old  writers  for  death. 

27  Coleridge  gives  out  a  strong  opinion  that  these  two  lines  were  interpo- 
lated by  some  actor,  and  that  we  have  but  to  read  the  passage  without  them, 
to  see  this-     The  lines  are  certainly  a  blemish  in  the  passage;  out  to  my 
thinking,  they  have  too  many  brothers  and  sisters  to  admit  of  their  being 
criticised  out  of  the  family. 

28  Shakespeare  often  has  compact,  aspect,  and  other  like  words,  with  the 
second  sylable  long.  —  Pricked  in  the  next  line,  is  marked.     The  image  is  of 
a  list  of  names  written  out,  and  some  of  them  distinguished  by  having  holea 
pricked  in  the  paper  against  them. 

29  Therefore  is  not  the  illative  conjunction  here;  but  means  to  that  end^ 
or  for  that  purpose. 

80  Produce  in  the  Latin  sense  of  produco ;  implying  motion  to  a  place. 


474  JULIUS    OESAR.  ACT   111. 

[Aside  to  BRU.]  You  know  not  what  you  do :  do  not  consent 

That  Antony  speak  in  his  funeral. 

Know  you  how  much  the  people  may  be  mov'd 

By  that  which  he  will  utter  ? 

Bru.  [Aside  to  CASS.]  By  your  pardon : 

J  will  myself  into  the  pulpit  first, 
And  show  the  reason  of  our  Cnssar's  death  : 
What  Antony  shall  speak  I  will  protest 
He  speaks  by  leave  and  by  permission  ; 
And  that  we  are  contented  Caesar  shall 
Have  all  due  rights  and  lawful  ceremonies. 
It  shall  advantage  more  than  do  us  wrong.81 

Cass.  [Aside  to  BRU.]   I  know  not  what  may  fall;  I  like  it 
not. 

Bru.  Mark  Anton, ,  here,  take  you  Cassar's  body. 
You  shall  not  in  your  funeral  speech  blame  us, 
But  speak  all  good  you  can  devise  of  Caesar ; 
And  say  you  do't  by  our  permission ; 
Else  shall  you  not  have  any  hand  at  all 
About  his  funeral :  and  you  shall  speak 
In  the  same  pulpit  whereto  I  am  going, 
After  my  speech  is  ended. 

Ant.  Be  it  so ; 

I  do  desire  no  more. 

Bru.  Prepare  the  body,  then,  and  follow  us. 

[Exeunt  all  but  ANTONY 

Ant.  O,  pardon  me,  thou  bleeding  piece  of  earth, 
That  I  am  meek  and  gentle  with  these  butchers ! 
Thou  art  the  ruins  of  the  noblest  man 
That  ever  lived  in  the  tide  of  times. 
Woe  to  the  hands  that  shed  this  costly  blood  ! 
Over  thy  wounds  now  do  I  prophesy,  — 
Which,  like  dumb  mouths,  do-  ope  their  ruby  lips, 
To  beg  the  voice  and  utterance  of  my  tongue,  — 
A  curse  shall  light  upon  the  limbs  of  men ; 32 
Domestic  fury  and  fierce  civil  strife 
Shall  cumber  all  the  parts  of  Italy ; 
Blood  and  destruction  shall  be  so  in  use, 

81  Wrong  is  here  used  for  harm,  or  that  which  causes  pain.  The  radical 
sense  of  the  word  survives  in  wring  and  writhe.  See,  also,  page  132,  note  5. 
Note  the  high  self-appreciation  of  Brutus  here,  in  supposing  that  if  he  can 
but  have  a  chance  to  speak  to  the  people,  and  to  air  his  wisdom  before  them, 
all  will  go  right.  Here,  again,  he  overbears  Cassius,  who  now  begins  to 
find  the  effects  of  having  baited  him  with  flatteries,  and  served  as  a  mirror  to 
"turn  his  hidden  worthiness  into  his  eye." 

32  By  men  Antony  means  not  mankind  in  general;  the  scope  of  the  curse 
being  limited  by  the  subsequent  words,  tk  the  parts  of  Italy,"  and  "  in  these 
confines."  —  Limbs  is  merely  the  figure  of  speech  called  Synecdoche,  or  tha 
putting  of  a  part  of  a  thing  for  the  whole.  Dyce  changes  it  to  minds. 


SC.    I.  JULIUS    GVESAR.  475 

And  dreadful  objects  so  familiar, 
That  mothers  shall  but  smile  when  they  behold 
Their  infants  quarter'd  with  the  hands  of  war ; 
All  pity  chok'd  with  custom  of  fell  deeds  • 
And  Caesar's  spirit,  ranging  for  revenge, 
With  Ate*  by  his  side 33  come  hot  from  Hell, 
Shall  in  these  confines  with  a  monarch's  voice 
Cry  Havoc  I  and  let  slip  the  dogs  of  war ; M 
That  this  foul  deed  shall  smell  above  the  earth 
With  carrion  men,  groaning  for  burial.  — 

Enter  a  Servant. 

You  serve  Octavius  Caesar,  do  you  not? 

Serv.  I  do,  Mark  Antony. 

Ant.  Caesar  did  write  for  him  to  come  to  Rome. 

Serv.  He  did  receive  his  letters,  and  is  coining ; 
And  bid  me  say  to  you  by  word  of  mouth, — 
[Seeing  the  Body.~\     O  Caesar !  — 

Ant.  Thy  heart  is  big,  get  thee  apart  and  weep. 
Passion,  I  see,  is  catching ;  for  mine  eyes, 
Seeing  those  beads  of  sorrow  stand  in  thine, 
Begin  to  water.     Is  thy  master  coming? 

Serv.  He  lies  to-night  within  seven  leagues  of  Rome. 

Ant.  Post  back  with  speed,  and  tell  him  what  hath  chanc'd. 
Here  is  a  mourning  Rome,  a  dangerous  Rome, 
No  Rome  of  safety  for  Octavius  yet : 85 
Hie  hence,  and  tell  him  so.     Yet  stay  awhile ; 
Thou  shalt  not  back  till  I  have  borne  this  corse 
Into  the  market-place :  there  shall  I  try, 
In  my  oration,  how  the  people  take 
The  cruel  issue  of  these  bloody  men  ; 
According  to  the  which,  thou  shalt  discourse 
To  young  Octavius  of  the  state  of  things. 
Lend  me  your  hand.  [Exeunt  with  CESAR'S  Body* 

88  Ate*  is  the  old  goddess  of  discord  and  mischief.  So,  in  Much  Ado 
about  Nothing,  ii.  1,  Benedick  describes  Beatrice  as  "  the  infernal  Ate'  in  good 
apparel." 

84  Havoc  was  anciently  the  word  of  signal  for  giving  no  quarter  in  a 
battle.    It  was  a  high  crime  for  any  one  to  give  the  signal  without  authority 
from  the  general-in-chief;  hence  the  peculiar  force  of  monarch's  voice.  —  To 
let  slip  a  dog  was  a  term  of  the  chase,  for  releasing  the  hounds  from  the  leash 
or  slip  of  leather  whereby  they  were  held  in  hand  till  it  was  time  to  let  them 
pursue  the  animal. — The  dogs  of  war  are  fire,  sword,  and  famine.     So,  in 
King  Henry  V.,  first  Chorus    "At  his  heels,  leashed  in  like  hounds^  should 
famine,  sword,  and^re,  crouch  for  employment." 

85  Another  play  on  Rome  and  room.   "See  page  439,  note  22. 


476  JULIUS    CJESAR. 


ACT    III. 


SCENE  II.     The  Same.     The  Forum. 
Enter  BRUTUS  and  CASSIUS,  with  a  Throng  of  Citizens? 

Citizens.  We  will  be  satisfied ;  let  us  be  satisfied. 

Bru.  Then  follow  me,  and  give  me  audience,  friends.  — 
Cassius,  go  you  into  the  other  street, 
And  part  the  numbers.  — 

Those  that  will  hear  me  speak,  let  'em  stay  here ; 
Those  that  will  follow  Cassius,  go  with  him ; 
And  public  reason  shall  be  rendered 
Of  Caesar's  death. 

1  Git.  I  will  hear  Brutus  speak. 

2  Git.  I  will  hear  Cassius ;  and  compare  their  reasons, 
When  severally  we  hear  them  rendered. 

{Exit  CASSIUS,  with  some  of  the  Citizen* 
BRUTUS  goes  into  the  Rostrum. 

3  Cit.  The  noble  Brutus  is  ascended :  Silence  ! 
J3ru.  Be  patient  till  the  last. 

Romans,  countrymen,  and  lovers ! 2  hear  me  for  my  cause ;  and 
be  silent,  that  you  may  hear :  believe  me  for  mine  honour ; 
and  have  respect  to  mine  honour,  that  you  may  believe :  cen- 
sure me  in  your  wisdom  ;8  and  awake  your  senses,  that  you 
may  the  better  judge.  If  there  be  any  in  this  assembly,  any 
dear  friend  of  Caesar's,  to  him  I  say  that  Brutus'  love  to 
Csesar  was  no  less  than  his.  If,  then,  that  friend  demand 
why  Brutus  rose  against  Caesar,  this  is  my  answer,  —  Not 
that  I  lov'd  Caesar  less,  but  that  I  lov'd  Rome  more.  Had 
you  rather  Caesar  were  living,  and  die  all  slaves,  than  that 
Ccesar  were  dead,  to  live  all  freemen  ?  As  Caesar  lov'd  me, 
I  weep  for  him ;  as  he  was  fortunate,  I  rejoice  at  it ;  as  he 
was  valiant,  I  honour  him:  but,  as  he  was  ambitious,  I 
slew  him.  There  is  tears  for  his  love ;  joy  for  his  fortune ; 
honour  for  his  valour;  and  death  for  his  ambition.  Who  is 
here  so  base  that  would  be  a  bondman  ?  If  any,  speak ;  for 
him  have  I  offended.  Who  is  here  so  rude  that  would  not  be 
a  Roman  ?  If  any,  speak ;  for  him  have  I  offended.  Who  is 
here  so  vile  that  will  not  love  his  country  ?  If  any,  speak ; 
for  him  have  I  offended.  I  pause  for  a  reply. 

Citizens.  None,  Brutus,  none. 

Bru.  Then  none  have  I  offended.  I  have  done  no  more  to 
Caesar  than  you  shall  do  to  Brutus.  The  question  of  his 

1  The  eriginal  has  Plebeians  here  instead  of  Citizens.    Modern  editions 
generally  print  Citizens. 

2  Lover  and  friend  were  used  as  synonymous  in  the  Poet's  time.    Brutus 
afterwards  speaks  of  Caesar  as  "  my  best  lover." 

3  Censure  is  here  exactly  equivalent  to  judge;   probably  used  for  the 
jingle  it  makes  with  senses. 


BC.  n.  JULIUS  C^:SAR.  477 

dea:h  is  enroll 'd  in  the  Capitol ; 4  his  giory  not  extenuated, 
wherein  he  was  worthy ; 6  nor  his  offences  enforced,  for  which 
he  suffered  death. 

Enter  ANTONY  and  Others,  with  CAESAR'S  Body. 

Here  comes  his  body,  mourn'd  by  Mark  Antony ;  who,  though 
he  had  no  hand  in  his  death,  shall  receive  the  benefit  of  his 
dying,  a  place  in  the  commonwealth ;  as  which  of  you  shall 
not  ?  With  this  I  depart,  —  That,  as  I  slew  my  best  lover  for 
the  good  of  Rome,  I  have  the  same  dagger  for  myself,  when 
it  shall  please  my  country  to  need  my  death.6 
Citizens.  Live,  Brutus  !  live,  live  ! 

1  Cit.  Bring  him  with  triumph  home  unto  his  house. 

2  Cit.  Give  him  a  statue  with  his  ancestors. 

3  Cit.  Let  him  be  Caesar. 

4  Cit.  Caesar's  better  parts 
Shall  now  be  crown'd  in  Brutus. 

1  Cit.  We'll    bring  him   to   his   house   with   shouts   and 

clamours. 
J3ra.  My  countrymen, — 

2  Cit.  Peace !  silence !  Brutus  speaks. 
1  Cit.  Peace,  ho ! 

J3ra.  Good  countrymen,  let  me  depart  alone ; 
And,  for  my  sake,  stay  here  with  Antony : 
Do  grace  to  Caesars  corpse,  and  grace  his  speech 
Tending  to  Caesar's  glory ;  which  Mark  Antony, 
By  our  permission,  is  allow'd  to  make. 
I  do  entreat  you,  not  a  man  depart, 
Save  I  alone,  till  Antony  have  spoke.  [Exit. 

1  Cit.  Stay,  ho !  and  let  us  hear  Mark  Antony. 

3  Cit.  Let  him  go  up  into  the  public  chair ; 
We'll  hear  him.  —  Noble  Antony,  go  .up. 

4  The  reason  of  his  death  is  made  a  matter  of  solemn  official  record  in  the 
nooks  of  the  Senate,  as  showing  that  the  act  of  killing  him  was  done  for 
public  ends,  and  not  from  private  hate. 

6  His  fame  is  not  lessened  or  whittled  doum  in  those  points  wherein  he  was 
worthy.  —  Enforced,  in  the  next  clause,  is  in  antithesis  to  extenuated,  meaning 
Ih&t  his  faults  are  not  magnified  or  forced  out  of  just  measure.  This  is  very 
aptly  said ;  for  to  kill  a  man,  and  then  try  to  belittle  or  to  blacken  him,  is 
the  extreme  of  turpitude. 

6  In  this  celebrated  speech,  which,  to  my  taste,  is  far  from  being  a  model 
of  style  either  for  oratory  or  any  thing  else,  the  Poet  seems  to  have  aimed  at 
imitating  the  manner  actually  ascribed  to  Brutus.  So,  in  Plutarch :  "  They 
do  note  that,  in  some  of  his  Epistles,  he  counterfeited  that  briefe  compendious 
manner  of  speech  of  the  Lacedaemonians."  And  Shakespeare's  idea,  as  fol- 


'  the 

dixjunctum,  the  broken-up  style,  without  oratorical  continuity,  is  precisely 
that  assumed  by  the  dramatist'* 


478  JULIUS    C^SAR.  ACT   III, 

Ant.  For  Brutus'  sake,  I  am  beholding  to  you.     [  Goes  up. 
4  Git.  What  does  he  say  of  Brutus  ? 

3  Git.  He  says,  for  Brutus'  sake, 
He  finds  himself  beholding  to  us  all. 

4  Git.  'Twere  best  he  speak  no  harm  of  Brutus  here. 

1  Git.  This  Caesar  was  a  tyrant. 

3  Git.  Nay,  that's  certain : 

We  're  bless'd,  that  Rome  is  rid  of  him. 

2  Git.  Peace !  let  us  hear  what  Antony  can  say. 
Ant.  You  gentle  Romans,  — 

Citizens.  Peace,  ho !  let  us  hear  him, 

\/Ant.  Friends,  Romans,  countrymen,  lend  me  your  ears : 
^1  come  to  bury  Caesar,  not  to  praise  him. 

The  evil  that  men  do  lives  after  them ; 

The  good  is  oft  interred  with  their  bones : 

So  let  it  be  with  Caesar.     The  noble  Brutus 

Hath  told  you  Caesar  was  ambitious : 7 

If  it  were  so,  it  was  a  grievous  fault ; 

And  grievously  hath  Caesar  answer'd  it. 

Here,  under  leave  of  Brutus  and  the  rest,  — 

For  Brutus  is  an  honourable  man ; 

So  are  they  all,  all  honourable  men, — 

Come  I  to  speak  in  Caesar's  funeral. 

He  was  my  friend,  faithful  and  just  to  me : 

But  Brutus  says  he  was  ambitious ; 

And  Brutus  is  an  honourable  man. 

He  hath  brought  many  captives  home  to  Rome, 

Whose  ransoms  did  the  general  coffers  fill: 

Did  this  in  Caesar  seem  ambitious  ? 

When  that  the  poor  have  cried,  Caesar  hath  wept : 

Ambition  should  be  made  of  sterner  stuff: 

Yet  Brutus  says  he  was-  ambitious ; 

And  Brutus  is  an  honourable  man. 

You  all  did  see  that  on  the  Lupercal 

I  thrice  presented  him  a  kingly  crown, 

Which  he  did  thrice  refuse      Was  this  ambition  ? 

Yet  Brutus  says  he  was  ambitious ; 

And,  sure,  he  is  an  honourable  man.8 

7  In  Shakespeare's  time,  the  ending  iious,  and  various  others  15k«  it, 
when  occurring  at  the  end  of  a  verse,  was  often  pronounced  as  two  syllables. 
The  same  was  the  case  with  tion,  sion,  and  divers  others.     Many  instances 
of  the  latter  have  already  occurred  in  this  play;  as  in  the  preceding  scene: 
"  And  say  you  do  't  by  our  permission.''1     Also  in  a  former  scene:  "Out  of 
the  teeth  of  emulation."     Nevertheless   I  am  far  from  thinking  that  tious 
should  now  be  sounded  as  two  syllables  in  such  cases.    See  page  53,  note  19. 

8  Of  course  these  repetitions  of  honourable  man  are  intensely  ironical ; 
and  for  that  very  reason  the  irony  should  be  studiously  kept  out.  of  the  voice 
in  pronouncing  them.     I  have  heard  the  effect  of  it  utterly  spoilt  by  being 


SO.    II.  JULIUS    C^SAR.  479 

I  speak  not  to  disprove  what  Brutus  spoko, 

But  here  I  am,  to  speak  what  I  do  know. 

You  all  did  love  him  once,  —  not  without  cause : 

What  cause  withholds  you,  then,  to  mourn  for  him  ?— ~ 

0  judgment,  thou  art  tied  to  brutish  beasts,9 

And  men  have  lost  their  reason !  —  Bear  with  me ; 
My  heart  is  in  the  coffin  there  with  Caesar, 
And  I  must  pause  till  it  come  back  to  me. 

1  Oit.  Methinks  there  is  much  reason  in  his  sayings. 

2  Oit.  If  thou  consider  rightly  of  the  matter, 
Caesar  has  had  great  wrong. 

3  Oit.  Has  he  not,  masters  ? 

1  fear  there  will  a  worse  come  in  his  place. 

4  Oit.  Mark'd  ye  his  words  ?   He  would  not  take  the  crown \ 
Therefore  'tis  certain  he  was  not  ambitious. 

1  Oit.  If  it  be  found  so,  some  will  dear  abide  it.10 

2  Oit.  Poor  soul !  his  eyes  are  red  as  fire  with  weeping. 

3  Oit.  There's  not  a  nobler  man  in  Rome  than  Antony 

4  Oit.  Now  mark  him ;  he  begins  again  to  speak. 
Ant.  But  yesterday  the  word  of  Caesar  might 

Have  stood  against  the  world :  now  lies  he  there, 
And  none  so  poor  to  do  him  reverence. 

0  masters,  if  I  were  disposed  to  stir 
Your  hearts  and  minds  to  mutiny  and  rage, 

1  should  do  Brutus  wrong,  and  Cassius  wrong, 
Who,  you  all  know,  are  honourable  men. 

I  will  not  do  them  wrong :  I  rather  choose 

To  wrong  the  dead,  to  wrong  myself,  and  you, 

Than  I  will  wrong  such  honourable  men. 

But  here's  a  parchment  with  the  seal  of  Caesar,  — 

I  found  it  in  his  closet,  —  'tis  his  will : 

Let  but  the  commons  hear  this  testament, 

(Which,  pardon  me,  I  do  not  mean  to  read,) 

And  they  would  go  and  kiss  dead  Caesar's  wounds, 

And  dip  their  napkins  in  his  sacred  blood  ; u 

Yea,  beg  a  hair  of  him  for  memory, 

And,  dying,  mention  it  within  their  wills, 

Bequeathing  it  as  a  rich  legacy 

Unto  their  issue. 


emphasized.    The  proper  force  and  charm  of  the  irony  in  this  case  depend 
on  its  being  completely  disguised  and  seeming  perfectly  unconscious. 

9  Brutish  is  by  no  means  tautological  here :  the  antithetic  sense  of  human 
beasts  is  most  artfully  implied. 

10  To  abide  or  aby  a  thing,  is  to  suffer  for  it,  or,  as^we  now  say,  to  pay  for 
it.    So,  in  a  previous  scene :   "  Let  no  man  abide  'this  deed,  but  we  the 
doers." 

11  Napkin  and  Hajidkerchief  were  used  indifferently  in  the  Poet's  tune 


4:80  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT    III. 

4  Cit.  We'll  hear  the  will :  read  it,  Mark  Antony. 

Citizens.  The  will,  the  will !  we  will  hear  Caesars  will. 

Ant.  Have  patience,  gentle  friends ;  I  must  not  read  it : 
It  is  not  meet  you  know  how  Caesar  lov'd  you. 
You  are  not  wood,  you  are  not  stones,  but  men ; 
And,  being  men,  hearing  the  will  of  Caesar, 
It  will  inflame  you,  it  will  make  you  mad. 
'Tis  good  you  know  not  that  you  are  his  heirs ; 
For,  if  you  should,  O,  what  would  come  of  it ! 

4  Cit.  Read  the  will !  we'll  hear  it,  Antony ; 
You  shall  read  us  the  will,  —  Caesar's  will ! 

Ant.  Will  you  be  patient  ?  will  you  stay  awhile  ? 
I  have  o'ershot  myself,  to  tell  you  of  it. 
I  fear  I  wrong  the  honourable  men 
Whose  daggers  have  stabb'd  Caesar ; 12  I  do  fear  it. 

4  Git.  They  were  traitors :  honourable  men ! 

Citizens.  The  will !  the  testament ! 

2  Cit.  They  were  villains,  murderers.  The  will !  read  the 
will! 

Ant.  You  will  compel  me,  then,  to  read  the  will  ? 
Then  make  a  ring  about  the  corpse  of  Caesar, 
And  let  me  show  you  him  that  made  the  will. 
Shall  I  descend  ?  and  will  you  give  me  leave  ? 

Citizens.  Come  down. 

2  Cit.  Descend.  \He  comes  down 

3  Cit.  You  shall  have  leave. 

4  Cit.  A  ring !  stand  round. 

1  Cit.  Stand  from  the  hearse ;  stand  from  the  body. 

2  Cit.  Room  for  Antony  !  —  most  noble  Antony ! 
Ant.  Nay,  press  not  so  upon  me ;  stand  far*  off. 
Citizens.  Stand  back ;  room !  bear  back. 

Ant.  If  you  have  tears,  prepare  to  shed  them  now. 
You  all  do  know  this  mantle :  I  remember 
The  first  time  ever  Caesar  put  it  on ; 
'Twas  on  a  Summer's  evening,  in  his  tent, 
That  day  he  overcame  the  Nervii.18 
Look,  in  this  place  ran  Cassius'  dagger  through: 

l2  Antony  now  sees  that  he  has  the  people  wholly  with  him,  so  that  he  is 
perfectly  safe  in  stabbing  the  stabbers  with  these  terrible  words. 

18  This  is  the  artfullest  and  most  telling  stroke  in  Antony's  speech.  The 
Romans  prided  themselves  most  of  all  upon  their  military  virtue  and  renown : 
Caesar  was  their  greatest  military  hero;  and  his  victory  over  the  Nervii  was 
his  greatest  military  exploit.  It  occurred  during  his  second  campaign  in 
Gaul,  in  the  Summer  of  the  year  B.  c.  57,  and  is  narrated  with  surpassing 
vividness  in  the  second  book  of  his  Bellum  Gallicum.  Of  course  the  matter 
about  the  "mantle"  is  purely  fictitious:  Caesar  had  on  the  civic  gown,  not 
the  military  cloak,  when  killed,  and  it  was,  in  fact,  the  mangled  toga  that 
Antony  displayed  on  this  occasion:  but  the  fiction  has  the  effect  of  making 
the  allusion  to  the  victory  seem  perfectly  artless  and  incidental. 


8C.    II.  JULIUS    CAESAR.  481 

See  what  a  rent  the  envious  Casca  made : 

Through  this  the  well-beloved  Brutus  stabb'd ; 

And,  as  he  pluck'd  his  cursed  steel  away, 

Mark  how  the  blood  of  Caesar  follow'd  it,  — 

As  rushing  out  of  doors,  to  be  resolv'd 

If  Brutus  so  unkindly  knock'd,  or  no ; 14 

For  Brutus,  as  you  know,  was  Caesar's  angel : 15 

Judge,  O  you  gods,  how  dearly  Caesar  lov'd  him ! 

This  was  the  most  unkindest  cut  of  all ; 

For,  when  the  noble  Caesar  saw  him  stab, 

Ingratitude,  more  strong  than  traitors'  arms, 

Quite  vanquish'd  him :  then  burst  his  mighty  heart ; 

And,  in  his  mantle  muffling  up  his  face, 

Even  at  the  base  of  Pompey's  statua, 

Which  all  the  while  ran  blood,16  great  Caesar  fell. 

O,  what  a  fall  was  there,  my  countrymen ! 

Then  I,  and  you,  and  all  of  us  fell  down, 

Whilst  bloody  treason  flourished  over  us. 

O,  now  you  weep ;  and,  I  perceive,  you  feel 

The  dint  of  pity :  these  are  gracious  drops. 

Kind  souls,  what,  weep  you,  when  you  but  behold 

Our  Caesar's  vesture  wounded  ?     Look  you  here, 

Here  is  himself,  marr'd,  as  you  see,  with  traitors.17 

1  Git.  O  piteous  spectacle ! 

2  Oit.  O  noble  Caesar ! 

3  Oit.  O  woeful  day ! 

4  Oit.  O  traitors,  villains ! 

1  Cit.  O  most  bloody  sight ! 

2  Oit.  We  will  be  reveng'd. 

Citizens.  Revenge,  —  about,  —  seek,  —  burn,  —  fire,  —  killj 
—  slay,  —  let  not  a  traitor  live ! 
Ant.  Stay,  countrymen. 

1  Oit.  Peace  there !  hear  the  noble  Antony. 

2  Cit.  We'll  hear  him,  we'll  follow  him,  we'll  die  with 
him. 

Ant.  Good  friends,  sweet  friends,  let  me  not  stir  you  up 
To  such  a  sudden  flood  of  mutiny. 
They  that  have  done  this  deed  are  honourable : 

l*  Resolv'd  again  in  the  sense  of  informed  or  assured.  See  page  470,  note 
17.  —  The  fanciful  conceit  expressed  in  these  two  lines  seems  quite  out  of 
place,  and  might  well  be  spared. 

15  Angel  here  means,  apparently,  his  counterpart,  genius,  or  a  kind  of 
dearer  self.     The  word  is  probably  used  with  the  same  meaning  by  St.  Luke 
in  Acts  xii.  15. 

16  So,  in  North's  Plutarch :  "  Agninst  the  very  base  whereon  Pompey's 
image  stood,  which  ran  all  a  gore  of  blood,  till  he  was  slain." 

17  The  Poet  has  many  like  instances  of  with  being  used  instead  of  by,  to 
denote  the  relation  of  agent. 

31 


482  JULIUS    (LESAR.  ACT   HI 

What  private  griefs  they  have,18  alas,  I  know  not, 
That  made  them  do't ;  they're  wise  and  honourable, 
And  will,  no  doubt,  with  reasons  answer  you. 
I  come  not,  friends,  to  steal  away  your  hearts : 
I  am  no  orator,  as  Brutus  is ; 
But,  as  you  know  me  all,  a  plain  blunt  man, 
That  love  my  friend ;  and  that  they  know  full  well 
That  gave  me  public  leave  to  speak  of  him. 
For  I  have  neither  wit,19  nor  words,  nor  worth, 
Action,  nor  utterance,  nor  the  power  of  speech, 
To  stir  men's  blood :  I  only  speak  right  on ; 
I  tell  you  that  which  you  yourselves  do  know; 
Show  you  sweet  Caesar's  wounds,  poor,  poor  dumb  mouths, 
And  bid  them  speak  for  me :  but  were  I  Brutus, 
And  Brutus  Antony,  there  were  an  Antony 
Would  ruffle  up  your  spirits,  and  put  a  tongue 
In  every  wound  of  Caesar,  that  should  move 
The  stones  of  Rome  to  rise  and  mutiny. 
Citizens.  We'll  mutiny. 

1  Git.  We'll  burn  the  house  of  Brutus. 

3  Git.  Away,  then !  come,  seek  the  conspirators. 

Ant.  Yet  hear  me,  countrymen ;  yet  hear  me  speak. 

Citizens.  Peace,  ho !  hear  Antony ;  most  noble  Antony. 

Ant.  Why,  friends,  you  go  to  do  you  know  not  what. 
Wherein  hath  Caesar  thus  deserv'd  your  loves  ? 
Alas,  you  know  not ;  I  must  tell  you,  then : 
You  have  forgot  the  will  I  told  you  of. 

Citizens.  Most  true ;  the  will !  —  let's  stay,  and  hear  the 
will. 

Ant.  Here  is  the  will,  and  under  Caesar's  seal. 
To  every  Roman  citizen  he  gives, 
To  every  several  man,  seventy-five  drachmas.20 

2  Git.  Most  noble  Caesar ! —  we'll  revenge  his  death. 

3  Git.  O,  royal  Caesar  ! 
Ant.  Hear  me  with  patience. 
Citizens.  Peace,  ho ! 

Ant.  Moreover,  he  hath  left  you  all  his  walks, 
His  private  arbours,  and  new-planted  orchards, 
On  this  side  Tyber : 21  he  hath  left  them  you, 

is  Shakespeare  often  uses  grief  for  that  which  causes  grief;   that  is, 
grievance. 

19  Wit  formerly  meant  understanding,  and  was  so  used  by  all  writers. 

20  The  drachma  was  a  Greek  coin,  equal  to  7d.  English.     In  fact,  how- 
ever, Ca^ar  left  to  each  citizen  three  hundred  sesterces,  equivalent  to  about 
$14;  which  was  practically  as  good  as  at  least  $100  in  our  time:  no  small 
dfift''for  a  poor  man. 

|     21  As  this  scene  lies  in  the  Forum,  near  the  Capitol,  Cassar's  gardens  are, 
in  fact,  on  the  otkvr  side  lyber.     But  the  Poet  wrote  as  he  read  in  Plutarch1 


BC.   III.  JULIUS    CAESAR.  483 

And  to  your  heirs  for  ever :  common  pleasure**, 
To  walk  abroad,  and  recreate  yourselves. 
Here  was  a  Caesar !  when  comes  such  another? 

1  Git.  Never,  never.  —  Come,  away,  away  ! 
We'll  burn  his  body  in  the  holy  place, 

And  with  the  brands  fire  the  traitors'  houses. 
Take  up  the  body. 

2  Oit.  Go,  fetch  fire. 

3  Git.  Pluck  down  benches. 

4  Git.  Pluck  down  forms,  windows,  any  thing. 

{Exeunt  Citizens,  with  the  Bodtfr 
Ant.  Now  let  it  work :  —  Mischief,  thou  art  afoot, 
Take  thou  what  course  thou  wilt !  —  ~ 

Enter  a  Servant. 

How  now,  fellow  I 

Serv.  Sir,  Octavius  is  already  come  to  Rome. 

Ant.  Where  is  he  ? 

Serv.  He  and  Lepidus  are  at  Caesar's  house. 

Ant.  And  thither  will  I  straight  to  visit  him : 
He  comes  upon  a  wish.     Fortune  is  merry, 
And  in  this  mood  will  give  us  any  thing. 

Serv.  I  heard  'em  say,  Brutus  and  Cassius 
Are  rid  like  madmen  through  the  gates  of  Rome. 

Ant.  Belike  they  had  some  notice  of  the  people, 
How  I  had  moVd  them.     Bring  me  to  Octavius.        [Exeunt* 

SCENE  IH.     The  Same.     A  Street. 
Enter  CINNA  the  Poet. 

Gin.  I  dreamt  to-night  that  I  did  feast  with  Caesar, 
And  things  unlucky  charge  my  fantasy.1 
I  have  no  will  to  wander  forth  of  doors, 
ITet  something  leads  me  forth. 

Enter  Citizens 

1  Git.  What  is  your  name  ? 

2  Git.  Whither  are  you  going  ? 

3  Git.  Where  do  you  dwell  ? 

4  Git.  Are  you  a  married  man  or  a  bachelor  ? 

"  He  bequeathed  unto  every  citizen  of  Rome  75  drachmaes  a  man,  and  left 
his  gardens  and  arbors  unto  the  people,  whicn  he  had  on  this  side  of  the 
river  Tyber." 

1  "  Things  of  ill  omen  oppress  me."  Steevens  tells  of  having  read  in  an 
old  treatise  on  Fortune-telling,  that  "  to  dream  of  being  at  banquet*  beto* 
keneth  misfortune." 


484  JULIUS    CLESAR.  ±CT   IV, 

2  Git.  Answer  every  man  directly. 

1  Git.  Ay,  and  briefly. 
4  Git.  Ay,  and  wisely. 

3  Git.  Ay,  and  truly ;  you  were  best. 

Gin.  What  is  my  name  ?  Whither  am  I  going  ?  Where 
do  I  dwell  ?  Am  I  a  married  man  or  a  bachelor  ?  Then,  to 
answer  every  man  directly  and  briefly,  wisely  and  truly. 
Wisely  I  say  I  am  a  bachelor. 

2  Git.  That's  as  much  as  to  say  they  are  fools  that  marry : 
—  you'll  bear  me  a  bang  for  that,2 1  fear.     Proceed ;  directly. 

Gin.  Directly,  I  am  going  to  Caesar's  funeral. 

1  Cit.  As  a  friend,  or  an  enemy  ? 
Gin.  As  a  friend. 

2  Git.  That  matter  is  answered  directly. 

4  Git.  For  your  dwelling,  —  briefly. 
Gin.  Briefly,  I  dwell  by  the  Capitol. 

3  Git.  Your  name,  sir,  truly. 
Gin.  Truly,  my  name  is  Cinna. 

1  Git.  Tear  him  to  pieces !  he's. a  conspirator. 
Gin.  I  am  Cinna  the  poet,  I  am  Cinna  the  poet. 

4  Git.  Tear  him  for  his  bad  verses,  tear  him  for  his  bad 
verses. 

Gin.  I  am  not  Cinna  the  conspirator.8 

4  Git.  It  is  no  matter;  his  name's  Cinna:  pluck  but  his 
name  out  of  his  heart,  and  turn  him  going. 

3  Git.  Tear  him,  tear  him  !  Come ;  brands,  ho !  firebrands ! 
To  Brutus',  to  Cassius' ;  burn  all.  Some  to  Decius*  house,  and 
Borne  to  Casca's ;  some  to  Ligarius' :  away,  go !  [ Exeunt. 


ACT  IV.    SCENE  I.    Rome.    A  Room  in  ANTONY'S  House}' 
ANTONY,  OCTAVIUS,  and  LEPIDUS,  seated  at  a  Table. 

Ant.  These  many,  then,  shall  die ;  their  names  are  prick'd. 
Oct.  Your  brother  too  must  die :  consent  you,  Lepidus  ? 

2  You'll  suffer  a  blow,  or  catch  a  knock.     Me  expletive  again. 

8  This  man  was  Helvius  Cinna,  one  of  Caesar's  staunchest  adherents.  He 
was  mistaken  by  the  infuriated  populace  for  Cornelius  Cinna,  the  Praetor, 
oie  of  the  conspirators,  and  in  spite  of  his  frantic  appeals  was  torn  to  pieces 
on  the  spot. 


be  at  1 

find 

triumvirs  did  not  meet  at   Rome  to  settle  the  proscription,  but  on  a  little 

island  near  Mutiifa.     Tne  Poet  most  likely  knew  this,  as  he  mubt  have  read 


SC.    I.  JULIUS    CAESAR.  485 

Lep.  I  do  consent,  — 

Oct.  Prick  him  down,  Antony. 

Lep. — Upon  condition  Publius  shall  not  live, 
Who  is  your  sister's  son,  Mark  Antony.2 

Ant.  He  shall  not  live ;  look,  with  a  spot  I  damn  him. 
But,  Lepidus,  go  you  to  Caesar's  house ; 
Fetch  the  will  hither,  and  we  shall  determine 
How  to  cut  off  some  charge  in  legacies. 

Lep.  What,  shall  I  find  you  here  ? 

Oct.  Or  here,  or  at  the  Capitol.  \Exit  LEPIDC§. 

Ant.  This  is  a  slight  unmeri table  man, 
Meet  to  be  sent  on  errands  :  is  it  fit, 
The  threefold  world  Divided,  he  should  stand 
One  of  the  three  to  share  it  ? 

Oct.  So  you  thought  him , 

And  took  his  voice  who  should  be  prick'd  to  die, 
In  our  black  sentence  and  proscription. 

Ant.  Octavius,  I  have  seen  more  days  than  you: 
And  though  we  lay  these  honours  on  this  man, 
To  ease  ourselves  of  divers  slanderous  loads, 
He  shall  but  bear  them  as  the  ass  bears  gold, 
To  groan  and  sweat  under  the  business, 
Either  led  or  driven,  as  we  point  the  way ; 
And  having  brought  our  treasure  where  we  will, 
Then  take  we  down  his  load,  arid  turn  him  off, 
Like  to  the  empty  ass,  to  shake  his  ears, 
And  graze  in  commons. 

Oct.  You  may  do  your  will ; 

But  he's  a  tried  and  valiant  soldier. 

Ant.  So  is  my  horse,  Octavius ;  and  for  that 
I  do  appoint  him  store  of  provender. 
It  is  a  creature  that  I  teach  to  fight, 
To  wind,  to  stop,  to  run  directly  on, 
His  corporal  motion  govern'd  by  my  spirit. 
And,  in  some  taste,  is  Lepidus  but  so ; 
He  must  be  taught,  and  train'd,  and  bid  go  forth : 
A  barren-spirited  fellow  ;  one  that  feeds 
On  objects,  arts,  and  imitations, 
Which,  out  of  use  and  stal'd  by  other  men, 

in  Plutarch  how  "  all  three  met  together  in  an  island  environed  round  about 
with  a  little  river."  —  The  time  of  the  scene,  historically,  was  in  November, 
B.  c.  43;  which  makes  an  interval  of  some  nineteen  months  between  thia 
and  the  preceding  scene 


Caesar,  who  was  his  uncle  by  his  mother;  and  both  of  them  together  suffered 
I<epidus  to  kill  his  own  brother  Paulus." 


486  JULIUS    CJESAR.  ACT   IV 

Begin  his  fashion  : 8  do  not  talk  of  him, 

But  as  a  property.     And  now,  Octavius, 

Listen  great  things :  Brutus  and  Cassius 

Are  levying  powers :  we  must  straight  make  head  ; 

Therefore  let  our  alliance  be  combin'd, 

Our  best  friends  made,  and  our  best  means  stretch'd  out ; 

And  let  us  presently  go  sit  in  council, 

How  covert  matters  may  be  best  disclos'd, 

And  open  perils  surest  answered. 

Oct.  L-jt  us  do  so ;  for  we  are  at  the  stake, 
And  bay'd  about  with  many  enemies ; 4 
And  some  that  smile  have  in  their  hearts,  I  fear, 
Millions  of  mischiefs.  *  [Exeunt* 

SCENE  II.     Before  BRUTUS'  Tent,  in  the  Gamp  near  Sardis.1 

Drum.     Enter  BRUTUS,  LUCILIUS,  TITINIUS,  and  Soldiers, 
PINDARUS  meeting  them  ;  Lucius  at  some  distance. 

Bru.  Stand,  ho! 

Lucil.  Give  the  word,  ho !  and  stand. 

Bru.  What  now,  Lucilius !  is  Cassius  near  ? 

Lucil.  He  is  at  hand ;  and  Pindarus  is  come 
To  do  you  salutation  from  his  master. 

[PINDARUS  gives  a  Letter  to  BRUTUS. 

Bru.  He  greets  me  well.  —  Your  master,  Pindarus, 
In  his  own  change,2  or  by  ill  officers, 
Hath  given  me  some  worthy  cause  to  wish 
Things  done,  undone  ;  but,  if  he  be  at  hand, 
I  shall  be  satisfied. 

Pin.  I  do  not  doubt 

But  that  my  noble  master  will  appear 
Such  as  he  is,  full  of  regard  and  honour. 

Bru.  He  is  not  doubted.  —  A  word,  Lucilius : 
How  he  receiv'd  you  let  me  be  resolv'd. 

8  So  in  Falstaff  's  account  of  Justice  Shallow,  when  the  latter  was  at 
Clement' s-inn :  "  He  came  ever  in  the  rear-ward  of  the  fashion ;  and  sung 
those  tunes  to  the  overscutch'd  huswives  that  he  heard  the  carmen  whistle, 
and  sware  they  were  his  fancies,  or  his  good-nights."  The  passage  in  the 
text  has  commonly  been  printed  with  a  (;)  after  imitations;  which  gives  a 
wrong  sense,  as  if  objects,  arts,  and  imitations  in  general  were  meant;  where- 
as it  is  only  of  those  particular  objects,  arts,  and  imitations,  which  othera 
have  worn  out  and  thrown  aside.  Instead  of  objects,  arts,  Mr.  Dyce  prints 
abject  orts;  a  very  bad  reading. 

4  An  allusion  to  bear-baiting.  Thus  in  Macbeth  v.  7:  "  They  have  tied 
me  to  a  stake:  I  cannot  fly,  but,  bear-like,  I  must  fight  the  course." 

1  This  scene,  again,  is"  separated  from  the  foregoing,  historically,  by  about 
a  year;  the  remaining  events  of  the  drama  having  taken  place  in  the  Fall 
B  c.  42. 

2  Through  some  change  of  mind  or  of  conduct  on  his  part. 


SC.    II.  JULIUS    CAESAR.  487 

Lucil.  With  courtesy  and  with  respect  enough ; 
But  not  with  such  familiar  instances, 
Nor  with  such  free  and  friendly  conference, 
As  he  hath  us'd  of  old. 

Bru.  Thou  hast  described 

;  A  hot  friend  cooling.     Ever  note,  Lucilius, 
"When  love  begins  to  sicken  and  decay, 
It  useth  an  enforced  ceremony. 
There  are  no  tricks  in  plain  and  simple  faith : 
But  hollow  men,  like  horses  hot  at  hand, 
Make  gallant  show  and  promise  of  their  mettle ; 
But  when  they  should  endure  the  bloody  spur, 
They  fall  their  crests,  and,  like  deceitful  jades,8 
Sink  in  the  trial.     Comes  his  army  on  ? 

LuciL  They  mean  this  night  in  Sardis  to  be  quartered: 
The  greater  part,  the  Horse  in  general, 
Are  come  with  Cassius.  [March  within, 

Bru.  Hark !  he  is  arrived.  — 

March  gently  on  to  meet  him. 

JEnter  CASSIUS  and  Soldiers. 

Oass.  Stand,  ho ! 

Bru.  Stand,  ho !    Speak  the  word  along. 

Within.  Stand! 

Within.  Stand! 

Within.  Stand! 

Oass.  Most  noble  brother,  you  have  done  me  wrong. 

Bru.  Judge  me,  you  gods !  wrong  I  mine  enemies  ? 
And  if  not  so,  how  should  I  wrong  a  brother  ? 

Oass.  Brutus,  this  sober  form  of  yours  hides  wrongs ; 
And  when  you  do  them  — 

Bru.  Cassius,  be  content ; 

Speak  your  griefs  softly ;  I  do  know  you  well. 
Before  the  eyes  of  both  our  armies  here, 
Which  should  perceive  nothing  but  love  from  us, 
Let  us  not  wrangle :  bid  them  move  away ; 
Then  in  my  tent,  Cassius,  enlarge  your  griefs,4 
And  I  will  give  you  audience. 

Oass.  Pindarus, 

Bid  our  commanders  lead  their  charges  off 
A  little  from  this  ground. 

8  A  deceitful  jade  is  an  unreliable  horse,  or  one  that  promises  well  in  ap- 
pearance, but  "  sinks  in  the  trial." 

4  To  enlarge  is,  properly,  to  set  free  or  to  let  go  at  large ;  here  it  meant 
ipeak  freely  of  or  unfold. 


488  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT    IV 

Bru.  Lucius,  do  you  the  like ;  and  let  no  man 
Come  to  our  tent,  till  we  have  done  our  conference.  — 
Lucilius  and  Titinius,  guard  our  door.  [Exeunt 


SCENE  IIL     Within  the  Tent  of  BRUTUS. 
Enter  BRUTUS  <meT  CASSIUS. 


Cass.  That  you  have  wrong'd  me  doth  appear  in  this  • 
You  have  condemned  and  noted  Lucius  Pella  1 
For  taking  bribes  here  of  the  Sardians  ; 
Wherein  my  letters,2  praying  on  his  side 
Because  I  knew  the  man,  were  slighted  off. 

Bru.  You  wrong'd  yourself  to  write  in  such  a  case. 

Cass.  In  such  a  time  as  this  it  is  not  meet 
That  every  nice  offence  should  bear  his  comment.8 

Bru.  Let  me  tell  you,  Cassius,  you  yourself 
Are  much  condemn'd  to  have  an  itching  palm  ; 
To  sell  and  mart  your  offices  for  gold 
To  undeservers. 

Cass.  I  an  itching  palm  ! 

You  know  that  you  are  Brutus  that  speak  this, 
Or,  by  the  gods,  this  speech  were  else  your  last. 

Bru.  The  name  of  Cassius  honours  this  corruption, 
And  chastisement  doth  therefore  hide  his  head. 

Cass.  Chastisement! 

Bru.  Remember  March,  the  ides  of  March  remember! 
Did  not  great  Julius  bleed  for  justice'  sake  ? 
What  villain  touch'd  his  body,  that  did  stab, 
And  not  for  justice  ?     What,  shall  one  of  us, 
That  struck  the  foremost  man  of  all  this  world 
But  for  supporting  robbers,  —  shall  we  now 

1  Disgraced  him,  set  a  mark  or  stigma  upon  him.  —  The  Poet  read  in 
Plutarch  that  "  Brutus,  upon  complaint  of  the  Sardians,  did  condemn  and 
note  Lucius  Pella,  who  had  been  a  Prsetor  of  the  Romans,  for  that  he  was 
convicted  of  robbery  and  pilfery  in  his  office." 

2  Wherein  refers  to  the  stigma  set  upon   Pella,  and  is  equivalent  to  by 
which  act  or  proceeding.  —  Cassius  naturally  thinks  that  "  the  honourable 
men  whose  daggers  have  staWd  Caesar"  should  not  peril  their  cause   by 
moral  squeamishness.     And  it  is  a  very  noteworthy  point,  that  the  digesting 
of  that  act  seems  to  have  entailed  upon  Brutus  a  sort  of  moral  dyspepsia. 

3  That  every  petty  or  trifling  offence  should  be  scrutinized  and  passed 
upon.     Nice  was  often  used  in  that  sense.  —  In  the  foregoing  plavs,  1  have 
repeatedly  noted  the  Poet's  use  of  his  for  its.    Mr-  W.  J.  Itolfe,  of  Cambridge, 
has  ascertained,  by  a  very  close  inspection,  that  Shakespeare  has  its  ten 
times,  but  in  nine  of  these  it  is  printed  with  an  apostrophe,  it's;  and  that  he 
has  it,  used  as  the  possessive  case,  sixteen  times;  as  in  Hamlet  i.  2:  "It 
lifted  up  it  head."    As  I  have  stated  before,  its  does  not  occur  in  our  Fnglisb 
Bible;  where  we  h:»ve,  instead,  such  expressions  as,  "if  the  salt  have  Lost 
tuj  «>avour,"  and,  "to  every  seed  iiis  own  body." 


SO.   III.  JULIUS    CAESAR. 


489 


Contaminate  our  fingers  with  base  bribes, 
And  sell  the  mighty  space  of  our  large  honours 
For  so  much  trash  as  may  be  grasped  thus  ? 
1  had  rather  be  a  dog,  and  bay  the  Moon, 
Than  such  a  Roman. 

Cass.  Brutus,  bait  not  me,4 

I'll  not  endure  it :  you  forget  yourself, 
To  hedge  me  in  ;  I  am  a  soldier,  ay,6 
Older  in  practice,  abler  than  yourself 
To  make  conditions.6 

Bru.  Go  to ;  you  are  not,  Cassms. 

Cass.  I  am. 

Bru.  I  say  you  are  not. 

Cass.  Urge  me  no  more,  I  shall  forget  myself; 
Have  mind  upon  your  health,  tempt  me  no  further. 

Bru.  Away,  slight  man ! 

Cass.  Is't  possible  ? 

Bru.  Hear  me,  for  I  will  speak. 

Must  I  give  way  and  room  to  your  rash  choler  ? 
Shall  I  be  frighted  when  a  madman  stares  ? 

Cass.  O  ye  gods,  ye  gods !  must  I  endure  all  this  ? 

Bru.  All  this  !  ay,  more :  fret,  till  your  proud  heart  break; 
Go  show  your  slaves  how  choleric  you  are, 
And  make  your  bondmen  tremble.     Must  I  budge  ? 
Must  I  observe  you  ?  Must  I  stand  and  crouch 
Under  your  testy  humour  ?  By  the  gods, 
You  shall  digest  the  venom  of  your  spleen, 
Though  it  do  split  you ;  for  from  this  day  forth 
I'll  use  you  for  my  mirth,  yea,  for  my  laughter, 
When  you  are  waspish. 

Cass.  Is  it  come  to  this  ? 

Bru.  You  say  you  are  a  better  soldier : 
Let  it  appear  so ;  make  your  vaunting  true, 
And  it  shall  please  me  well.     For  mine  own  part, 
I  shall  be  glad  to  learn  of  abler  men.7 

4  So  in  the  original ;  but  commonly  changed  to  bay  in  modem  editions, 
the  repeating  of  the  word  being  thought  to  add  spirit  to  the  dialogue.  I 
think  otherwise.  To  bait  is  to  worry  or  harass  with  violent  attacks.  JRich- 
ardson  says  it  is  formed  regularly  from  bay,  to  bark  at,  thus,  —  bayed,  bay'd, 
bayt,bait.  In  The  Winter's  Tale  ii.  3,  Leontes  says  of  Paulina,  —  "A  cal- 
lat,  of  boundless  tongue,  who  late  hath  beat  her  husband,  and  now  baits  me1 " 

6  The  original  and,  I  believe,  all  modern  editions,  have  /  instead  of  ay 
here.  It  has  long  seemed  to  me  that  it  should  be  ay,  and  I  now  venture  to 
give  it  so.  In  the  Poet's  time,  the  pronoun  /  and  the  affirmative  ay  were 
printed  alike. 

6  To  do  the  business,  or  manage  the  diplomacy  of  an  army. 

7  The  original  has  noble  instead  of  abler.     Nuble  does  not  fit  the  place, 
and  the  use  of  abler  by  Cassius,  a  little  before,  points  that  out  as  the  fight 
word:  accordingly  it  is  adopted  by  Mr.  Dyce. 


490  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT   IT 

Cass.  You  wrong  me  every  way,  you  wrong  me,  Brutus ; 
F  said  an  elder  soldier,  not  a  better  : 8 
Did  I  say  better  ? 

Bru.  If  you  did,  I  care  not. 

Cass.  When  Caesar  liv'd  he  durst  not  thus  have  moVd  me, 

Bru.  Peace,  peace !  you  durst  not  so  have  tempted  him. 

Cass.  I  durst  not  ? 

Bru.  No. 

Cass.  What,  durst  not  tempt  him  ? 

Bru.  For  your  life  you  durst  not. 

Cass.  Do  not  presume  too  much  upon  my  love ; 
I  may  do  that  I  shall  be  sorry  for. 

Bru.  You  have  done  that  you  should  be  sorry  for. 
There  is  no  terror,  Cassius,  in  your  threats ; 
For  I  am  arm'd  so  strong  in  honesty, 
That  they  pass  by  me  as  the  idle  wind, 
Which  I  respect  not.     I  did  send  to  you 
For  certain  sums  of  gold,  which  you  denied  me  ;  — 
For  I  can  raise  no  money  by  vile  means : 
By  Heaven,  I  had  rather  coin  my  heart, 
And  drop  my  blood  for  drachmas,  than  to  wring 
From  the  hard  hands  of  peasants  their  vile  trash 
By  any  indirection :  —  I  did  send 
To  you  for  gold  to  pay  my  legions, 
Which  you  denied  me :  Was  that  done  like  Cassius  ? 
Should  I  have  answer'd  Caius  Cassius  so  ? 
When  Marcus  Brutus  grows  so  covetous, 
To  lock  such  rascal  counters  from  his  friends,9 
Be  ready,  gods,  with  all  your  thunderbolts, 
Dash  him  to  pieces ! 

Cass.  I  denied  you  not. 

Bru.  You  did. 

Cass.  I  did  not :  he  was  but  a  fool 

That  brought  my  answer  back.  —  Brutus  hath  riv'd  my  heart 
A  friend  should  bear  his  friend's  infirmities, 
But  Brutus  makes  mine  greater  than  they  are. 

Bru.  I  do  not,  till  you  practise  them  on  me. 

Cass.  You  love  me  not 

8  This  mistake  of  Brutus  is  very  well  conceived.    Cassius  was  much  the 
abler  soldier,  and  Brutus  knew  it;  and  the  mistake  grew  from  his  conscious- 
Mess  of  the  truth  of  what  he  thought  he  heard.     Long  before  this  time,  Cas- 
sius had  served  as  Quaestor  under  Marcus  Crassus  in  his  expedition  against 
the  Parthians;  and  when  the  army  was  torn  all  to  pieces,  both  Crassus  and 
his  son  being  killed,  Cassius  displayed  great  ability  in  bringing  off  a  rem- 
nant ;  as  he  also  did  for  some  time  after  that,  in  the  military  administration 
of  Syria. 

9  Rascal  counters  is  a  term  of  contempt  for  the  "  vile  trash,"  gold.    Coun- 
ters were  false  pieces  of  money,  used  in  reckoning  and  keeping  account* 
See  page  60,  note  8. 


SO.    III.  JULIUS   JC^ESAR.  491 

Bru.  I  do  not  like  your  faults. 

Cass.  A  friendly  eye  could  never  see  such  faults. 

Bru.  A  flatterer's  would  not,  though  they  do  appear 
As  huge  as  high  Olympus. 

Cass.  Come,  Antony  and  young  Octavius,  come, 
Revenge  yourselves  alone  on  Cassius, 
For  Cassius  is  a- weary  of  the  world ; 
Hated  by  one  he  loves ;  brav'd  by  his  brother ; 
Checked  like  a  bondman ;  all  his  faults  observed, 
Set  in  a  note-book,  learn'd,  and  eonn'd  by  rote, 
To  cast  into  my  teeth.     O,  I  could  weep 
My  spirit  from  mine  eyes !  —  There  is  my  dagger, 
And  here  my  naked  breast;  within,  a  heart 
Dearer  than  Plutus'  mine,  richer  than  gold : 
If  that  thou  be'st  a  Roman,  take  it  forth ; 
I,  that  denied  thee  gold,  will  give  my  heart. 
Strike  as  thou  didst  at  Caesar ;  for  I  know, 
When  thou  didst  hate  him  worst,  thou  lov'dst  him  better 
Than  ever  thou  lov'dst  Cassius. 

Bru.  Sheath  your  dagger. 

Be  angry  when  you  will,  it  shall  have  scope ; 
Do  what  you  will,  dishonour  shall  be  humour.10 
O  Cassius,  you  are  yoked  with  a  lamb 
That  carries  anger  as  the  flint  bears  fire ; 
Who,  much  enforced,  shows  a  hasty  spark, 
And  straight  is  cold  again.11 

Cass.  Hath  Cassius  li^d 

To  be  but  mirth  and  laughter  to  his  Brutus, 
When  grief,  and  blood  ill-temper'd,  vexeth  him  ? 

Bru.  When  I  spoke  that,  I  was  ill-temper'd  too. 

Cass.  Do  you  confess  so  much  ?     Give  me  your  hand. 

Bru.  And  my  heart  too. 

Cass.  O  Brutus, — 

Bru.  What's  the  matter? 

Cass.  —  Have  you  not  love  enough  to  bear  with  me, 
When  that  rash  humour  which  my  mother  gave  me 
Makes  me  forgetful  ? 

Bru.  Yes,  Cassius ;  and  from  henceforth, 

When  you  are  over  earnest  with  your  Brutus, 
He'll  think  your  mother  chides,  and  leave  you  so. 

[Noise  within. 

10  Whatever  dishonourable  thing  you  may  do,  I  will  set  it  down  to  the 
humour  or  infirmity  of  the  moment. 

11  In  my  boyhood,  the  idea  was  common,  of  fire  sleeping  in  the  flint,  and 
being  awaked  by  the  stroke  of  the  steel.     I  am  not  sure  whether  it  was 
known  in  the  Poet's  time,  that  in  fact  the  flint  cuts  off  microscopic  bits  of 
gtee^  which  are  ignited  by  tho  friction. 


492  JULIUS    C^SAR.  ACT   IT 

Poet.  [  Within."]  Let  me  go  in  to  see  the  generals : 
There  is  some  grudge  between  'em ;  'tis  not  meet 
They  be  alone. 

Lucil.  [  Within."]  You  shall  not  come  to  them. 

Poet.  [  Within.']  Nothing  but  death  shall  stay  me. 

Enter  Poet,  followed  ly  LUCILIUS  and  TITINIUS. 

Cass.  How  now !  What's  the  matter  ? 

Poet.  For  shame,  you  generals !  what  do  you  mean  ? 
Love,  and  be  friends,  as  two  such  men  should  be ; 
For  I  have  seen  more  years,  I'm  sure,  than  ye. 

Cass.  Ha,  ha !  how  vilely  doth  this  cynic  rhyme ! 

Bru.  Get  you  hence,  sirrah ;  saucy  fellow,  hence ! 

Cass.  Bear  with  him,  Brutus ;  'tis  his  fashion. 

Bru.  I'll  know  his  humour,  when  he  knows  his  time. 
What  should  the  wars  do  with  these  jigging  fools  ?  — 
Companion,  hence !  M 

Cass.  Away,  away,  be  gone !  [Exit  Poet* 

Bru.  Lucilius  and  Titinius,  bid  the  commanders 
Prepare  to  lodge  their  companies  to-night. 

Cass.  And  come  yourselves,  and  bring  Messala  with  you 
Immediately  to  us.  \_Exeunt  LUCIL.  and  TITIN, 

Bru.  Lucius,  a  bowl  of  wine  ! 

Cass.  I  did  not  think  you  could  have  been  so  angry. 

Bru.  O  Cassius,  I  am  sick  of  many  griefs. 

Cass.  Of  your  philosophy  you  make  no  use, 
If  you  give  place  to  accidental  evils.13 

Bru.  No  man  bears  sorrow  better.     Portia  is  dead. 

Cass.  Ha!  Portia! 

Bru.  She  is  dead. 

Cass.  How  scap'd  I  killing,  when  I  cross'd  you  so  ?  — 
O,  insupportable  and  touching  loss  !  — 
Upon  what  sickness  ? 

Bru.  Impatient  of  my  absence, 

And  grief  that  young  Octavius  with  Mark  Antony 
Have  made  thsmselves  so  strong ;  —  for  with  her  death 
That  tidings  came ;  —  with  this  she  fell  distract, 
And,  her  attendants  absent,  swallow'd  fire.14 

12  Jig  signified  a  ballad  or  ditty,  as  well  as  a  dance.  Companion  is  heie 
a  term  of  contempt,  as  we  now  use  fellow. 

18  In  his  philosophy,  Brutus  was  a  mixture  of  the  Stoic  and  the  Platonist. 
What  he  says  of  Portia's  death  is  among  the  best  things  in  the  play,  and  is 
in  Shakespeare's  noblest  style.  Deep  grief  loves  not  many  words. 

14  It  appears  something'uncertain  whether  Portia's  death  was  before  or 
after  her  husband's.  Plutarch  represents  it  as  occurring  before ;  but  Mori- 
vale  follows  those  who  place  it  after.  Plutarch's  account,  as  rendered  by 
North,  is,  that  she  "took  hot  burning  coaN  and  cast  them  into  her  mouth 
and  kept  her  mouth  so  close  that  she  choked  herself.'' 


BC.   HI.  JULIUS    CAESAR.  493 

Cass.  And  died  so  ? 

Bru.  Even  so. 

Cass.  O,  ye  immortal  gods ! 

Enter  Lucius,  with  Wine  and  a  Taper. 

Bt*u.  Speak  no  more  of  her.  —  Give  me  a  bowl  of  wine :  — 
In  this  I  bury  all  unkindness,  Cassius.  [Drinks* 

Cass.  My  heart  is  thirsty  for  that  noble  pledge. — 
Fill,. Lucius,  till  the  wine  o'erswell  the  cup; 
I  cannot  drink  too  much  of  Brutus'  love.  [Drink*. 

Bru.  Come,  in,  Titinius  !  —  [Exit  Lucius. 

Re-enter  TITINIUS,  with  MESSALA. 

Welcome,  good  Messala.  — • 
Now  sit  we  close  about  this  taper  here, 
And  call  in  question  our  necessities.15 

Cass.  Portia,  art  thou  gone  ? 

Bru.  No  more,  I  pray  you.  — 

Messala,  I  have  here  received  letters, 
That  young  Octavius  and  Mark  Antony 
Come  down  upon  us  with  a  mighty  power, 
Bending  their  expedition  toward  Philippi. 

Mes.  Myself  have  letters  of  the  selfsame  tenour. 

Bru.  With  what  addition  ? 

Mes.  That,  by  proscription  and  bills  of  outlawry, 
Octavius,  Antony,  and  Lepidus, 
Have  put  to  death  an  hundred  Senators. 

Bru.  Therein  our  letters  do  not  well  agree : 
Mine  speak  of  seventy  Senators  that  died 
By  their  proscriptions,  Cicero  being  one. 

Cass.  Cicero  one ! 

Mes.  Cicero  is  dead, 
And  by  that  order  of  proscription.  — 
Had  you  your  letters  from  your  wife,  my  lord  ? 

Bru.  No,  Messala. 

Mes.  Nor  nothing  in  your  letters  writ  of  her  ? 

Bru.  Nothing,  Messaia. 

Mes.  That,  methinks,  is  strange. 

Bru.  Why  ask  you  ?  hear  you  aught  of  her  in  yours  ? 

Mes.  No,  my  lord. 

Bru.  Now,  as  you  are  a  Roman,  tell  me  true. 

Mes.  Then  like  a  Roman  bear  the  truth  I  tell : 
For  certain  she  is  dead,  and  by  strange  manner. 

Bru.  Why,  farewell,  Portia.  —  We  must  die  Messala : 

1*  The  Poet  repeatedly  uses  question  in  the  sense  of  conversation. 


494  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT   IT 

With  meditating  that  she  must  die  once,16 
I  have  the  patience  to  endure  it  now. 

Mes.  Even  so  great  men  great  losses  should  endure. 

Cass.  I  have  as  much  of  this  in  art  as  you,17 
But  yet  my  nature  could  not  bear  it  so. 

Bru.  Well,  to  our  work  alive.     What  do  you  think 
Of  marching  to  Philippi  presently  ? 

Cass.  I  do  not  think  it  good. 

Bru.  Your  reason  ? 

Cass.  This  it  is : 

Tis  better  that  the  enemy  seek  us : 
So  shall  he  waste  his  means,  weary  his  soldiers, 
Doing  himself  offence ;  whilst  we,  lying  still, 
Are  full  of  rest,  defence,  and  niinbleness. 

Bru.  Good  reasons  must,  of  force,  give  place  to  better* 
The  people  'twixt  Philippi  and  this  ground 
Do  stand  but  in  a  forc'd  affection ; 
For  they  have  grudg'd  us  contribution : 
The  enemy,  marching  along  by  them, 
By  them  shall  make  a  fuller  number  up, 
Come  on  refresh'd,  new-aided,18  and  encourag'd ; 
From  which  advantage  shall  we  cut  him  off, 
If  at  Philippi  we  do  face  him  there, 
These  people  at  our  back. 

Cass.  Hear  me,  good  brother. 

Bru.  Under  your  pardon.     You  must  note  besides, 
That  we  have  tried  the  utmost  of  our  friends ; 
Our  legions  are  brimful,  our  cause  is  ripe  : 
The  enemy  increaseth  every  day ; 
We,  at  the  height,  are  ready  to  decline. 
There  is  a  tide  in  the  affairs  of  men, 
Which,  taken  at  the  flood,  leads  on  to  fortune ; 
Omitted,  all  the  voyage  of  their  life 
Is  bound  in  shallows  and  in  miseries. 
On  such  a  full  sea  are  we  now  afloat ; 
And  we  must  take  the  current  when  it  serves, 
Or  lose  our  ventures. 

Cass.  Then,  with  your  will,  go  on : 

We  will  along  ourselves,  and  meet  them  at  Philippi. 

Bru.  The  deep  of  night  is  crept  upon  our  talk, 
And  nature  must  obey  necessity  ; 
Which  we  will  niggard  with  a  little  rest. 
There  is  no  more  to  say  ? 

16  Once  here  means  sometime  or  other. 

l?  Art  was  sometimes  used  for  theory  as  distinguished  from  practice. 
is  The  old  copies  have  new  added.     Mr.  Dyce  and  Mr.  Singer  agree  that 
new-aidtd  is  unquestionably  the  right  reading. 


SC.    III.  JULIUS    (LESAR.  495 

Cos*.  No  more.     Good  night : 

Early  to-morrow  will  we  rise,  and  hence. 

Bru.  Lucius,  my  gown !  —  Farewell,  good  Messala  :  — 
Good  night,  Titinius.  —  Noble,  noble  Cassius, 
Good  night,  and  good  repose. 

Cass.  O,  my  dear  brother ! 

This  was  an  ill  beginning  of  the  night : 
Never  come  such  division  'tween  our  souls ! 
Let  it  not,  Brutus. 

Bru.  Every  thing  is  well. 

Cass.  Good  night,  my  lord. 

Bru.  Good  night,  good  brother. 

Tit.  Mes.  Good  night,  Lord  Brutus. 

Bru.  Farewell,  every  one.  — 

[Exeunt  CASSIUS,  TITINIUS,  and  MESSALA. 

Re-enter  Lucius,  with  the  Gown. 

Give  me  the  gown.     Where  is  thy  instrument? 

Luc.  Here  in  the  tent. 

Bru.  What,  thou  speak'st  drowsily  : 

Poor  knave,  I  blame  thee  not ;  thou  art  o'er-watch'd.19 
Call  Claudius  and  some  other  of  my  men  ; 
I'll  have  them  sleep  on  cushions  in  my  tent. 

Luc.  Varro  and  Claudius! 

Enter  VARRO  and  CLAUDIUS. 

Var.  Calls  my  lord  ? 

Bru.  I  pray  you,  sirs,  lie  in  my  tent,  and  sleep  ; 
It  may  be  I  shall  raise  you  by-and-by 
On  business  to  my  brother  Cassius. 

Var.  So  please  you,  we  will  stand  and  watch  your  pleas 

ure. 

Bru.  I  will  not  have  it  so ;  lie  ^down^good  sirs  : 
It  mayjbe  I  jshall  otherwise bethmk  me.  _— 
LooEJ  Lucius,  here's  the^book^I  sought^for  soj_ 
ITput  it  in  the  pocket  of  my  gown.2!  ^Servants  lie  down* 

~~Luc.  I  was  sure  your  lordship  did  not  give  it  me. 

Bru.  Bear  with  me,  good  boy ;  I  am  much  forgetful. 
Canst  thou  hold  up  thy  heavy  eyes  awhile, 
And  touch  thy  instrument  a  strain  or  two  ? 

19  Knave  was  much  used  in  the  Poet's  time  as  a  term  of  endearment ;  as 
fool  and  wretch  also  were. 

20  I  am  not  sure  but  these  two  simple  lines  are  the  best  thing  in  the  play. 
Just  consider  how  much  is  implied  in  them,  and  what  a  picture  they  give  of 
the  earnest,  thoughtful,  book-loving  Brutus      And  indeed  all  his  noblest 
traits  of  character  come  out,  "  in  simple  and  pure  soul,"  in  this  exquisite 
soene  with  Lucius,  which  is  hardly  surpassed  by  any  thing  in  Shakespeare. 


496  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT   IV. 

Luc.  Ay,  my  lord,  an't  please  you. 

Bru.  It  does,  my  boy : 

I  trouble  thee  too  much,  but  thou  art  willing. 

Luc.  It  is  my  duty,  sir. 

Bru.  I  should  not  urge  thy  duty  past  thy  might ; 
1  know  young  bloods  look  for  a  time  of  rest. 

Luc.  I  have  slept,  my  lord,  already. 

Bru.  It  was  well  done ;  and  thou  shalt  sleep  again ; 
I  will  not  hold  thee  long :  if  I  do  live, 
I  will  be  good  to  thee.  — 

[Lucius  plays  and  sings  till  he  falls  asleep. 
This  is  a  sleepy  tune.  —  O  murderous  Slumber, 
Lay'st  thou  thy  leaden  mace  upon  my  boy,21 
That  plays  thee  music  ?  —  Gentle  knave,  good  night ; 
I  will  not  do  thee  so  much  wrong  to  wake  thee. 
If  thou  dost  nod,  thou  break'st  thy  instrument : 
I'll  take  it  from  thee ;  and,  goo«  1  boy,  good  night.  — 
Let  me  see,  let  me  see ;  —  is  not  the  leaf  turn'd  down 
Where  I  left  reading  ?     Here  it  is,  I  think.  — 

Enter  the  Ghost  of  CJESAR. 

How  ill  this  taper  burns !  —  Ha !  who  comes  here  ? 
I  think  it  is  the  weakness  of  mine  eyes 
That  shapes  this  monstrous  apparition. 
It  comes  upon  me.  —  Art  thou  any  thing  ? 
Art  thou  some  god,  some  angel,  or  some  devil, 
That  mak'st  my  blood  cold,  and  my  hair  to  stare  ?  M 
Speak  to  me  what  thou  art. 

Ghost.  Thy  evil  spirit,  Brutus. 

Bru.  Why  com'st  thou  ? 

Ghost.  To  tell  thee  thou  shalt  see  me  at  Philippi. 

Bru.  Well;  then  I  shall  see  thee  again? 

Ghost.  Ay,  at  Philippi. 

Bru.  Why,  I  will  see  thee  at  Philippi,  then. 

[  Ghost  vanishes 
Now  I  have  taken  heart,  thou  vanishest : 28 

21  Mace  was  formerly  used  for  sceptre.    The  mace  is  called  leaden,  from 
its  causing  heaviness  in  the  subject  of  it.  —  Slumber  has  the  epithet  mur- 
derous, because  sleep  is  regarded  as  the  image  of  death ;  or,  as  Shelley  puts 
it,  "  Death  and  his  brother  Sleep  "  —  The  boy  is  spoken  of  as  playing  music 
to  Slumber,  because  the  purpose  of  his  music  is  to  soothe  the  perturbations 
out  of  his  master's  mind,  and  put  him  to  sleep. 

22  A  singular  use  of  stare.     Of  course  it  must  mean  to  stick  out,  or,  as  it 
is  in  Hamlet,  to  "  stand  on  end,  like  quills  upon  the  fretful  porpentine."     We 
have  a  similar  expression  in   The  Tempest,  i.  2:  "Ferdinand,  with  hair  up- 
itanng,  (then  like  reeds,  not  hair.)" 

23  This  strongly,  though  quietly,  marks  the  Ghost  as  altogether  subjec- 
tive: as  soon  as  Brutus  recovers  his  firmness,  the  illusion  is  broken.    The 


SC.    III.  JULIUS    (LESAR.  497 

Dl  spirit,  I  would  hold  more  talk  with  thee.  — 
Boy  !    Lucius  !  —  Varro  !    Claudius !    Sirs,   awake  !  —  Clau 
dius ! 

Luc.  The  strings,  my  lord,  are  false. 

Bru.  He  thinks  he  still  is  at  his  instrument.  —  Lucius, 
awake ! 

Luc.  My  lord  ? 

Bru.  Didst  thou  dream,  Lucius,  that  thou  so  cried'st  out? 

Luc.  My  lord,  I  do  not  know  that  I  did  cry. 

Bru.  Yes,  that  thou  didst.     Didst  thou  see  any  thing  ? 

Lu/s.  Nothing,  my  lord. 

Bru.  Sleep  again,  Lucius.  —  Sirrah  Claudius !  — 
[To  VAR,]  Fellow  thou,  awake! 

Var.  My  lord? 

Clau.  My  lord  ? 

Bru.  Why  did  you  so  cry  out,  sirs,  in  your  sleep  ? 

Var.    Clau.  Did  we,  my  lord  ? 

Bru.  Ay  :  saw  you  any  thing  ? 

Var.  No,  my  lord,  I  saw  nothing. 

Clau.  Nor  I,  my  lord. 

Bru.  Go  and  commend  me  to  my  brother  Cassius : 
Bid  him  set  on  his  powers  betimes  before, 
And  we  will  follow. 

Var.    Clau.  It  shall  be  done,  my  lord. 


ACT   V.     SCENE  I.     The  Plains  of  Philippi. 
Enter  OCTAVIUS,  ANTONY,  and  their  Army. 

Oct.  Now,  Antony,  our  hopes  are  answered. 
You  said  the  enemy  would  not  come  down, 
But  keep  the  hills  and  upper  regions. 
It  proves  not  so :  their  battles  are  at  hand ;  * 

order  of  things  is  highly  judicious  here,  in  bringing  the  "horrible  vision  " 
upon  Brutus  just  after  he  has  heard  of  Portia's  shocking  death.  With  that 
great  sorrow  weighing  upon  him,  he  might  well  see  ghosts.  The  thickening 
of  calamities  upon  him,  as  the  consequences  of  his  stabbing  exploit,  natu- 
rally awakens  the  power  of  remorse.  The  general  sense  of  antiquity  touch- 
ing that  matter  is  well  expressed  by  Plutarch :  "  Above  all,  the  ghost  that 
appeared  unto  Brutus  showed  plainly  that  the  gods  were  offended  with  the 
murder  of  Caesar." 

*  Bathe  was  used  for  an  army,  especially  an  army  embattled,  or  ordered 
in  battle-array.  The  plural  is  here  used  with  historical  correctness,  as  Bru- 
tus and  Cassius  had  each  an  army:  the  two  armies  of  course  co-operating, 
and  acting  together  as  one.  And  the  arrangement  was  the  same  on  tha 
other  side,  with  Octavms  and  Antony. 

32 


498  JULIUS    CAESAR.  4CT    V 

They  mean  to  warn  us  at  Philippi  here,2 
Answering  before  we  do  demand  of  them. 

Ant.  Tut,  I  am  in  their  bosoms,  and  I  know 
Wherefore  they  do  it :  they  could  be  content 
To  visit  other  places ;    and  come  down 
W  th  fearful  bravery,8  thinking  by  this  face 
To  fasten  in  our  thoughts  that  they  have  courage ; 
But  'tis  not  so. 

Enter  a  Messenger. 

Mess.  Prepare  you,  generals : 

The  enemy  comes  on  in  gallant  show ; 
Their  bloody  sign  of  battle  is  hung  out, 
And  something  to  be  done  immediately. 

Ant.  Octavius,  lead  your  battle  softly  on, 
Upon  the  left  hand  of  the  even  field. 

Oct.  Upon  the  right  hand  I ;  keep  thou  the  left. 

Ant.  Why  do  you  cross  me  in  this  exigent  ? 

Oct.  I  do  not  cross  you  ;  but  I  will  do  so.4  [March. 

Drum.     jEnter  BHUTUS,  CASSIUS,  and  their  Army;  LUCIL 
lus,  TITINIUS,  MESSALA,  and  Others. 

Bru.  They  stand,  and  would  have  parley. 
Cass.  Stand  fast,  Titinius:  we  must  out  and  talk. 
Oct.  Mark  Antony,  shall  we  give  sign  of  battle  ? 
Ant.  No,  Caesar,  we  will  answer  on  their  charge. 
Make  forth ;  the  generals  would  have  some  words. 
Oct.  Stir  not  until  the  signal. 

Bru.  Words  before  blows  :  —  Is  it  so,  countrymen  ? 
Oct.  Not  that  we  love  words  better,  as  you  do. 
Bru.  Good  words  are  better  than  bad  strokes,  Octavius. 

2  To  warn  is  to  summon.  So  in  King  John:  "  Who  is  it  that  hath  warrtd 
as  to  the  walls?  "  And  in  King  Richard  III. :  "  And  sent  to  warn  them  to 
bis  royal  presence."  And  so  in  some  parts  of  onr  country  it  is  still  commoil 
to  speak  of  warning  people  to  trainings  and  town-meetings. 

8  Meaning  the  false  show  of  courage  which  cowardice  sometimes  puts  on; 
03  in  illustration  of  the  adage  u  A  bully  is  a  coward." 

4  At  this  time,  Octavius  was  but  twenty-one  years  old,  and  Antony  was 
almost  old  enough  to  be  his  grandfather.  At  the  time  of  Cesar's  death, 
when  Gctavius  was  in  his  nineteenth  year,  Antony  thought  he  was  going  to 
manage  him  easily  and  have  it  all  his  own  way  with  him,  but  he  found  the 
youngster  as  stiff  as  a  poker,  and  could  just  do  nothing  with  him.  Caesar's 
youngest  sister  Julia  was  married  to  Marcus  Atius  Balbus,  and  their  daugh- 
ter Atia,  again,  was  married  to  Caius  Octavius,  a  nobleman  of  the  Plebeian 
order.  From  this  marriage  sprung  the  present  Octavius,  who  afterwards  be- 
came the  Emperor  Augustus.  He  was  mainly  educated  by  his  great-uncle, 
was  advanced  to  the  Patrician  order,  and  was  adopted  as  his  son  and  heir; 
so  that  his  full  and  proper  designation  at  this  time  was  Caius  Julius  Cassar 
Octavianus.  The  text  gives  a  right  taste  of  the  man,  who  always  stood  firm 
as  a  post  against  Antony,  till  the  latter  finally  knocked  himself  to  piece* 
against  him. 


sc.  *•  JULIUS  CVESAR.  499 

Ant.  In  your  bad  strokes,  Brutus,  you  give  good  words : 
Witness  the  hole  you  made  in  Caesar's  heart, 
Crying,  Long  live !  hail,  Caesar  ! 

Cass.  Antony, 

The  posture  of  your  blows  are  yet  unknown ; 
But,  for  your  words,  they  rob  the  Hybla  bees,5 
And  leave  them  honeyless. 

Ant.  Not  stingless  too. 

Bru.  O,  yes,  and  soundless  too  ; 
For  you  have  stol'n  their  buzzing,  Antony, 
And  very  wisely  threat  before  you  sting. 

Ant.  Villains,  you  did  not  so  when  your  vile  daggers 
Hack'd  one  another  in  the  sides  of  Caesar : 
You  show'd  your  teeth  like  apes,  and  fawn'd  like  hounds, 
And  bow'd  like  bondmen,  kissing  Caesar's  feet ; 
Whilst  damned  Casca,  like  a  cur,  behind 
Struck  Caesar  on  the  neck.     O,  flatterers  ! 

Cass.  Flatterers !  —  Now,  Brutus,  thank  yourself: 
This  tongue  had  not  offended  so  to-day, 
If  Cassius  might  have  rul'd. 

Oct.  Come,  come,  the  cause :  if  arguing  make  us  sweat, 
The  proof  of  it  will  turn  to  redder  drops. 
Look,  — 

I  draw  a  sword  against  conspirators : 
When  think  you  that  the  sword  goes  up  again  ? 
Never,  till  Caesar's  three-and-thirty  wounds 
Be  well  aveng'd ; 6  or  till  another  Csesar 
Have  added  slaughter  to  the  sword  of  traitors.7 

Bru.  Caesar,  thou  canst  not  die  by  traitors'  hands, 
Unless  thou  bring'st  them  with  thee. 

Oct.  So  I  hope : 

I  was  not  born  to  die  on  Brutus'  sword. 

Bru.  O,  if  thou  wert  the  noblest  of  thy  strain,8 
Young  man,  thou  could'st  not  die  more  honourably. 

5  Hybla  was  the  name  of  a  place  in  Sicily,  noted  for  the  fine  flavour  of 
its  honey.     See  page  256,  note  5. 

6  The  historical  number  of  Caesar's  wounds  is  three-and-ft0ewfy,  and  so 
Shakespeare  read  it  in  Plutarch.     But  the  poets  care  little  for  exactness  in 
such  matters.     In  Beaumont  and  Fletcher's   Two  Noble  Gentlemen,  we  have 
"  Caesar's  two-and-thirty  wounds."  —  This  man,  Octavius,  has  been  a  standing 
puzzle  and  enigma  to  the  historians,  from  the  seeming  contradictions  of  hia 
character.     The  later  writers,  however,  especially  Merivale  and  Smith,  find 
that  the  one  principle  that  gave  unity  to  his  life  and  reconciled  those  contra- 
dictions, was  a  steadfast,  inflexible  purpose  to  avenge  the  murder  of  his  illus- 
trious uncle  and  adoptive  father. 

7  Till  you,  traitors  as  you  are,  have  added  the  slaughtering  of  me,  an- 
other Caesar,  to  that  of  Julius. 

8  Strain  is  slock,  lineage,  or  race ;  a  common  use  of  the  word  in  Shake- 
speare's time.     So  in  King  Henry  V.  ii.  4:  "He  is  bred  out  of  that  bloody 
•train,  that  haunted  us  in  our  familiar  paths." 


500  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT     V. 

Cass.  A  peevish  schoolboy,  worthless  of  such  honour, 
Join'd  with  a  masker  and  a  reveller ! 9 

Ant.  Old  Cassius  still ! 

Oct.  Come,  Antony ;  away !  — 

Defiance,  traitors,  hurl  we  in  your  teeth : 
If  you  dare  fight  to-day,  come  to  the  field ; 
If  not,  when  you  have  stomachs. 

[Exeunt  OCTAVIUS,  ANTONY,  and  their  Army. 

Cass.  Why,  now,  blow  wind,  swell  billow,  and  swim  fearkl 
The  storm  is  up,  and  all  is  on  the  hazard. 

Bru.  Ho,  Lucilius!  hark,  a  word  with  you. 

Lucil.  My  lord  ?  [BRUT,  and  LUCIL.  talk  apart, 

Cass.  Messala, — 

Mes.  What  says  my  General  ? 

Cass.  Messala, 

This  is  my  birth-day ;  as  this  very  day 
Was  Cassius  born.     Give  me  thy  hand,  Messala: 
Be  thou  my  witness  that  against  my  will, 
As  Pompey  was,  am  I  compelPd  to  set 
Upon  one  battle  all  our  liberties.10 
You  know  that  I  held  Epicurus  strong, 
And  his  opinion :  now  I  change  my  mind, 
And  partly  credit  things  that  do  presage. 
Coming  from  Sardis,  on  our  former  ensign  u 
Two  mighty  eagles  fell ;  and  there  they  perch'd, 
Gorging  and  feeding  from  our  soldiers'  hands ; 
Who  to  Philippi  here  consorted  us : 
This  morning  are  they  fled  away  and  gone ; 
And  in  their  steads  do  ravens,  crows,  and  kites 
Fly  o'er  our  heads,  and  downward  look  on  us, 
As  we  were  sickly  prey :  their  shadows  seem 
A  canopy  most  fatal,  under  which 
Our  army  lies,  ready  to  give  up  the  ghost. 

Mes.  Believe  not  so. 

Cass.  I  but  believe  it  partly ; 

For  I  am  fresh  of  spirit,  and  resolv'd 
To  meet  all  perils  very  constantly. 

8  A  peevish  school-boy,  joined  with  a  masker  and  a  reveller,  and  an* 
worthv  even  of  that  honour.  The  more  common  meaning  of  peevish  wag 
foolish. 

1°  Alluding  to  the  battle  of  Pharsalia,  which  took  place  in  the  year  B.  c. 
48.  Pompey  was  forced  into  that  battle,  against  his  better  judgment,  by  the 
inexperienced  and  impatient  men  about  him,  who,  inasmuch  as  they  had 
more  than  twice  Cresnr's  number  of  troops,  fancied  they  could  easily  crunch 
him  up  if  they  could  but  meet  him.  So  they  tried  it,  and  he  quickly 
crunched  up  them. 

11  Former  for  first  or  fo\  emost.  The  usage  is  not  peculiar  to  Shake 
speare. 


8C.    I.  JULIUS    OESAR.  501 

Bru.  Even  so,  Lucilius. 

Cass.  Now,  most  noble  Brutus, 

The  gods  to-day  stand  friendly,  that  we  may, 
Lovers  in  peace,  lead  on  our  days  to  age ! 
But,  since  th'  affairs  of  men  rest  still  incertain, 
Let's  reason  with  the  worst  that  may  befall. 
If  we  do  lose  this  battle,  then  is  this 
The  very  last  time  we  shall  speak  together . 
What  are  you  then  determined  to  do  ? 

Bru.  Even  by  the  rule  of  that  philosophy 
By  which  I  did  blame  Cato  for  the  death 
Which  he  did  give  himself;  —  I  know  not  how, 
But  I  do  find  it  cowardly  and  vile, 
For  fear  of  what  might  fall,  so  to  prevent 
The  time  of  life ; 12  —  arming  myself  with  patience 
To  stay  the  providence  of  some  high  powers 
That  govern  us  below. 

Cass.  Then,  if  we  lose  this  battle, 

You  are  contented  to  be  led  in  triumph 
Thorough  the  streets  of  Rome  ? 

Bru.  No,  Cassius,  no :  think  not,  thou  noble  Roman. 
That  ever  Brutus  will  go  bound  to  Rome; 
He  bears  too  great  a  mind.18     But  this  same  day- 
Must  end  that  work  the  ides  of  March  begun ; 
And  whether  we  shall  meet  again  I  know  not. 
Therefore  our  everlasting  farewell  take :  — 
For  ever,  and  for  ever,  farewell,  Cassius  ! 
If  we  do  meet  again,  why,  we  shall  smile ; 
If  not,  why,  then  this  parting  was  well  made. 

Cass.  For  ever,  and  for  ever,  farewell,  Brutus ! 
If  we  do  meet  again,  we'll  smile  indeed ; 
If  not,  'tis  true  this  parting  was  well  made. 

Bru.  Why,  then  lead  on.  —  O,  that  a  man  might  know 

12  prevent  is  here  used  in  the  sense  of  anticipate.    See  page  101,  note  14. 
By  time  is  meant  the  full  time,  the  natural  period.  —  To  the  understanding 
of  this  speech,  it  must  be  observed,  that  the  sense  of  the  words,  "  arming 
myself."  &c.,  follows  next  after  the  words,  "  which  he  did  give  himself." 

13  Brutus  here  discovers  a  rather  shaky  and  incoherent  state  of  mind. 
Was  this  an  oversight  in  the  Poet  ?  or  was  it  meant  as  a  part  of  the  man's 
character  ?     Probably  the  latter.     The  matter  is  strongly,  but,  I  think,  rightly 
put  by  Meri  vale :  "  The  philosopher  indeed  renounced  all   confidence  in  his 
own  principles.     He  had  adopted  them  from  rending  or  imitation;  they  were 
not  the  natural  growth  of  instinct  or  genuine  reflection ;  and,  as  may  easily 
happen  in  such  a  case,  his  faith  in  them  failed  when  they  were  tested  by 
adversity.     As  long  as  there  seemed  a  chance  that  the  podlike  stroke  would 
be  justified  by  success,  Brutus  claimed  the  glory  of  maintaining  a  righteous 
cause;  but  when  all  hope  fled,  he  could  take  leave  of  philosophy  and   life 
together,  and  exclaim,  /  once  dreamed  that  virtue  was  a  thing;  IJindher  only 
a  name,  and  the  mere  slave  of  fortune.     He  had  blamed  Cato   for  nVing  from 
misery  by  self-murder;  but  he  learnt  to  justify  the  same  desperate  "act  when 
he  contemplated  committing  it  himself." 


502  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT    ? 

The  end  of  this  day's  business  ere  it  come ! 

But  it  sufficeth  that  the  day  will  end, 

And  then  the  end  is  known.  —  Come,  ho !  away  I       [Exeunt 


SCENE  II.     The  Same.     The  Field  of  Battk. 
Alarum.     Enter  BRUTUS  and  MESSALA. 

Bru.  Ride,  ride,  Messala,  ride,  and  give  these  bills 
Unto  the  legions  on  the  other  side.1 
Let  them  set  on  at  once ;  for  I  perceive 
But  cold  demeanour  in  Octavius'  wing, 
And  sudden  push  gives  them  the  overthrow. 
Ride,  ride,  Messala :  let  them  all  come  down.  \Exeunt* 

SCENE  III.     The  Same.     Another  Part  of  the  Field. 
Alarum.     Enter  CASSIUS  and  TITINIUS. 

Cass.  O,  look,  Titinius,  look,  the  villains  fly ! 
Myself  have  to  mine  own  turn'd  enemy : 
This  ensign  here  of  mine  was  turning  back ; 
I  slew  the  coward,  and  did  take  it  from  him.2 

Tit.  O  Cassius,  Brutus  gave  the  word  too  early ; 
Who,  having  some  advantage  on  Octavius, 
Took  it  too  eagerly :  his  soldiers  fell  to  spoil, 
Whilst  we  by  Antony  are  all  enclos'd. 

Enter  PINDARUS. 

Pin.  Fly  further  off,  my  lord,  fly  further  off; 
Mark  Antony  is  in  your  tents,  my  lord : 
Fly,  therefore,  noble  Cassius,  fly  far  off. 

Cass.  This  hill  is  far  enough.  —  Look,  look,  Titinius ; 
Are  those  my  tents  where  I  perceive  the  fire  ? 

Tit.  They  are,  my  lord. 

Cass.  Titinius,  if  thou  lov'st  me, 

Mount  thou  my  horse,  and  hide  thy  spurs  in  him, 
Till  he  have  brought  thee  up  to  yonder  troops,3 
And  here  again ;  that  I  may  rest  assur'd 
Whether  yond  troops  are  friend  or  enemy. 

Tit.  I  will  be  here  again,  even  with  a  thought.  \_Exit. 

1  "  The  legions  on  the  other  side  "  are  those  under  Cassius.     Messala 
and  his  escort  are  met  in  the  next  scene  by  Titinius  coming  from   Cassiua. 

2  Ensiyn  was  used,  as  it  is  still,  either  for  the  flag  or  for  the  bearer  of  it; 
here  it  is  used  for  both  at  once.     It  was  in  killing  the  cowardly  ensign  that 
Cassius  "to  his  own  turn'd  enemy." 

3  u  Yonder  troops  "  are  Messala  and  bis  escort  coming  from  Brutus. 


8C.   III.  JULIUS    CAESAR.  503 

Cass.  Go,  Pindarus,  get  higher  on  that  hill : 4 
My  sight  was  ever  thick :  regard  Titinius, 
And  tell  me  what  thou  not'st  about  the  field.  — 

[PINDARUS  goes  up. 

This  day  I  breathed  first :  time  is  come  round, 
And  where  I  did  begin,  there  shall  I  end ; 
My  life  is  run  his  compass.  —  Sirrah,  what  news  ? 

Pin.  [Above.]  O,  my  lord ! 

Cass.  What  news  ? 

Pin.  Titinius  is  enclosed  round  about 
"With  horsemen,  that  make  to  him  on  the  spur  ;  — 
Yet  he  spurs  on.  —  Now  they  are  almost  on  him ;  — 
Now,  Titinius !  —  Now  some  'light : 5  —  O,  he  'lights  too :  — 
He's  ta'en,  [Shout. ~\  and,  hark !  they  shout  for  joy. 

Cass.  Come  down ;  behold  no  more.  — 
O,  coward  that  I  am,  to  live  so  long, 
To  see  my  best  friend  ta'en  before  my  face !  — 

PINDARUS  descends. 
Come  hither,  sirrah : 
In  Parthia  did  I  take  thee  prisoner ; 
And  then  I  swore  thee,  saving  of  thy  life, 
That  whatsoever  I  did  bid  thee  do, 
Thou  should'st  attempt  it.     Come  now,  keep  thine  oath ; 
Now  be  a  freeman ;  and  with  this  good  sword, 
That  ran  through  Caesar's  bowels,  search  this  bosom. 
Stand  not  to  answer :  here,  take  thou  the  hilts  ; 6 
And,  when  my  face  is  cover'd,  as  'tis  now, 
Guide  thou  the  sword.  —  Caesar,  thou  art  reveng'd, 
Even  with  the  sword  that  kill'd  thee.7  [Dies. 

Pin.  Sor  I  am  free ;  yet  would  not  so  have  been, 
Durst  I  have  done  my  will.  —  O,  Cassius  ! 
Far  from  this  country  Pindarus  shall  run, 
Where  never  Roman  shall  take  note  of  him.  [Exit. 

Re-enter  TITINIUS,  with  MESS  ALA. 

Mes.  It  is  but  change,  Titinius  ;  for  Octavius 
Is  overthrown  by  noble  Brutus'  power, 
As  Cassius'  legions  are  by  Antony. 

4  Cassius  is  now  on  a  hill :  he  therefore  means  a  hill  somewhat  kiahet 
than  that  he  is  on.  —  Cassius  was,  in  fact,  what  we  now  call  near-sighted. 
6  Some  alight,  or  dismount. 

6  Hilts,  plural,  for  kilt  was  the  common  usage  in  the  Poet's  time.     So  too 
with/fftieraa,  which  occurs  in  this  pl;iy. 

7  It  was  a  dagger,  not  a  sword,  that  Cassius  stabbed  Caesar  with.     But 
the  same  weapoft"  is  -put  for  the  same  aimer ;  a  common  figure  of  speech. 
The  Poet  represents  this  matter  as  he  read  it  in  Plutarch.     In  fact,  however, 
Cnssius  was  found  with  his  head  cut  off;  but  Pindarus  could   nowhore  be 
found ;   and  it  was  thought  by  many  that  he  had  treacherously  slain  hit 
patron. 


504  JULIUS    CAESAR.  ACT    V 

Tit.  These  tidings  will  well  comfort  Cassius. 

Mes.  Where  did  you  leave  him  ? 

Tit.  All  disconsolate, 

With  Piudarus  his  bondman,  on  this  hill. 

Mes.  Is  not  that  he  that  lies  upon  the  ground  ? 

Tit.  He  lies  not  like  the  living.     O  my  heart ! 

Mes.  Is  not  that  he? 

Tit.  No,  this  was  he,  Messala, 

But  Cassius  is  no  more.  —  O,  setting  Sun, 
As  in  thy  red  rays  thou  dost  sink  to  night, 
So  in  his  red  blood  Cassius'  day  is  set ; 
The  sun  of  Rome  is  set !    Our  day  is  gone ; 
Clouds,  dews,  and  dangers  come ;  our  deeds  are  done ! 
Mistrust  of  my  success  hath  done  this  deed. 

Mes.  Mistrust  of  good  success  hath  done  this  deed. 
O,  hateful  Error,  Melancholy's  child ! 
Why  dost  thou  show  to  the  apt  thoughts  of  men 
The  things  that  are  not  ?     O  Error,  soon  conceiv'd, 
Thou  never  com'st  unto  a  happy  birth, 
But  kill'st  the  mother  that  engender'd  thee ! 8 

Tit.  What,  Pindarus !  where  art  thou,  Pindarus  ? 

Mes.  Seek  him,  Titinius,  whilst  I  go  to  meet 
The  noble  Brutus,  thrusting  this  report 
Into  his  ears :  I  may  say,  thrusting  it ; 
For  piercing  steel  and  darts  envenomed 
Shall  be  as  welcome  to  the  ears  of  Brutus 
As  tidings  of  this  sight. 

Tit.  Hie  you,  Messala, 

And  I  will  seek  for  Pindarus  the  while. —     [Exit  MESSALA* 
Why  didst  thou  send  me  forth,  brave  Cassius  ? 
Did  I  not  meet  thy  friends  ?  and  did  not  they 
Put  on  my  brows  this  wreath  of  victory, 
And  bid  me  give  it  thee  ?     Didst  thou  not  hear  their  shouts  ? 
Alas,  thou  hast  misconstrued  every  thing ! 
But,  hold  thee,  take  this  garland  on  thy  brow: 
Thy  Brutus  bid  me  give  it  thee,  and  I 
Will  do  his  bidding.  —  Brutus,  come  apace, 
And  see  how  I  regarded  Caius  Cassius.  — 
By  your  leave,  gods  :  —  this  is  a  Roman's  part : 
Come,  Cassius'  sword,  and  find  Titinius'  heart.  [Dies. 

Alarum.     Re-enter  MESSALA,  with    BRUTUS,  young  CATO, 
STRATO,  VOLUMNIUS,  and  LUCILIUS. 

Bru.  Where,  where,  Messala,  doth  his  body  lie  ? 

8  Cassius  is  said  to  have  been  of  a  highly  choleric  or  bilious  tempera 
tnent;  as  such  predisposed  to  melancholy,  and  hence  apt  to  be  taken  with 
imaginary  evils,  or  to  construe  things  to  the  worst. 


SC.    IV.  JJLIUS    CAESAR.  505 

Mes.  Lo,  yonder,  and  Titinius  mourning  it. 

Bru.  Titinius'  face  is  upward. 

Oato.  He  is  slain. 

Bru.  O,  Julius  Caesar,  thou  art  mighty  yet ! 
Tliy  spirit  walks  abroad,  and  turns  our  swords 
In  our  own  proper  entrails.9  \Low  Alarum** 

Oato.  Brave  Titinius ! 

Look,  whe'r  he  have  not  crown'd  dead  Cassius ! 

Bru.  Are  yet  two  Romans  living  such  as  these  ?  — 
Thou  last  of  all  the  Romans,  fare  thee  well ! 
It  is  impossible  that  ever  Rome 

Should  breed  thy  fellow.  —  Friends,  I  owe  more  tears 
To  this  dead  man  than  you  shall  see  me  pay.  — 
I  shall  find  time,  Cassius,  I  shall  find  time.  — 
Come,  therefore,  and  to  Thassos  send  his  body : 
His  funerals  shall  not  be  in  our  camp, 
Lest  it  discomfort  us.  —  Lucilius,  come ;  — 
And  come,  young  Cato ;  —  let  us  to  the  field.  — 
Labeo  and  Flavius,10  set  our  battles  on :  — 
'Tis  three  o'clock ;  and,  Romans,  yet  ere  night 
We  shall  try  fortune  in  a  second  fight.11  [Exeunt. 


SCENE  IV.     The  Same.     Another  Part  of  the  Field. 

Alarum.      Enter,  fighting,    Soldiers   of  both   Armies;    then 
BRUTUS,  CATO,  LUCILIUS,  and  Others.. 

Bru.  Yet,  countrymen,  O,  yet  hold  up  your  heads ! 

Gato.  What  bastard  doth  not  ?     Who  will  go  with  me  ? 
I  will  proclaim  my  name  about  the  field.  — 
I  am  the  son  of  Marcus  Cato,  ho ! 
A  foe  to  tyrants,  and  my  country's  friend ; 
I  am  the  son  of  Marcus  Cato,  ho !  [  Charges  the  Enemy. 

Bru.  And  I  am  Brutus,  Marcus  Brutus,  I ; 
Brutus,  my  country's  friend :  know  me  for  Brutus. 

[Exit)  charging  the  Enemy.     CATO  is  overpowered* 
and  falls. 

Lucil.  O,  young  and  noble  Cato,  art  thou  down  ? 


9  Brutus  here  strikes,  I  take  it,  the  proper  key-note  of  the  plajr.     It  is 
said  that  every  one  of  the  conspirators  met  with  a  violent  death,  either  by 
his  own  hand  or  by  another's. 

10  1  hese  two  men  are  not  named  among  the  persons  of  the  drama,  because 
they  speak  nothing.     Labeo  was  one  of  the  stab bers  of  Caesar;    and  it  is 
related  that  when  he  saw  that  all  was  lost,  having  dug  his  own  grave,  he 
enfranchised  a  slave,  and  then  thrust  a  weapon  into  his  hand  to  kill  him. 

n  The  Poet  very  judiciously  represents  both  battles  as  occurring  the  same 
day.    They  wer^  in  fact  separated  by  an  interval  of  twenty  days. 


506  JULIUS    CJESAR.  ACT  T, 

Why,  now  thou  diest  as  bravely  as  Titinius, 
And  may'st  be  honour'd,  being  Cato's  son. 

1  Sold.  Yield,  or  thou  diest. 

LnciL  Only  I  yield  to  die : 

There  is  so  much  that  thou  wilt  kill  me  straig-ht. 

{.Offering  Money. 
Kill  Brutus,  and  be  honour'd  in  his  death. 

1  Sold.  We  must  not.  — A  noble  prisoner! 

2  Sold.  Room,  ho !    Tell  Antony  Brutus  is  ta'en. 

1  Sold.  I'll  tell  the  news.  —  Here  comes  the  General.  — 

Enter  ANTONY. 

Brutus  is  ta'en,  Brutus  is  ta'en,  my  lord. 

Ant.  Where  is  he  ? 

Lucil.  Safe,  Antony ;  Brutus  is  safe  enough : 
I  dare  assure  thee  that  no  enemy 
Shall  ever  take  alive  the  noble  Brutus : 
The  gods  defend  him  from  so  great  a  shame ! 
When  you  do  find  him,  or  alive  or  dead, 
He  will  be  found  like  Brutus,  like  himself. 

Ant.  This  is  not  Brutus,  friend  ;  but  I  assure  you, 
A  prize  no  less  in  worth.     Keep  this  man  safe, 
Give  him  all  kindness :  I  had  rather  have 
Such  men  my  friends  than  enemies.     Go  on, 
And  see  whe'r  Brutus  be  alive  or  dead ; 
And  bring  us  word  unto  Octavius'  tent 
How  every  thing  is  chanc'd.  [Exeunt. 

SCENE  V.     The  Same.     Another  Part  of  the  Field. 
Enter  BRUTUS,  DARDANIUS,  CLITUS,  STRATO,  and  VOLUM- 

NIUS. 

Bru.  Come,  poor  remains  of  friends,  rest  on  this  rock. 

Cli.  Statilius  show'd  the  torch-light ;  but,  my  lord, 
Hs  came  not  back :  he  is  or  ta'en  or  slain.1 

Bru.  Sit  thee  down,  Clitus :  slaying  is  the  word ; 
It  is  a  deed  in  fashion.     Hark  thee,  Clitus.  [  Whispering. 

Cli.  What,  I,  my  lord  ?    No,  not  for  all  the  world. 

Bru.  Peace  then !  no  words. 

Cli.  I'll  rather  kill  myself. 

l  This  is  hardly  intelligible  without  the  passage  it  was  founded  on 
*  Brutus  thought  there  were  n<»t  many  of  his  men  slain;  and,  to  know  the 
truth  of  it,  one  called  Statilius  promised  to  go  through  the  enemies,  and,  if 
all  were  well,  to  lift  up  a  torch-light  in  the  air,  and  then  return  with  speed 
to  him.  The  torch-light  was  lift  up  as  he  had  promised.  But  his  evil  fortune 
was  such  that,  as  he  came  back,  he  fell  into  the  enemies'  hands  and  was 
slain/ 


SC.    V.  JULIUS    C^SAR,  507 

Bru.  Hark  thee,  Dardanius.  [  Whispers  him. 

Dear.      .  Shall  I  do  such  a  deed  ? 

Gli.  O  Dardanius ! 

Dar.  O  Clitus ! 

Cli.  What  ill  request  did  Brutus  make  to  thee  ? 

Dar.  To  kill  him,  Clitus.     Look,  he  meditates. 

Cli.  Now  is  that  noble  vessel  full  of  grief, 
That  it  runs  over  even  at  his  eyes. 

Bru.  Come  hither,  good  Volumnius ;  list  a  word. 

Vol.  What  says  my  lord? 

Bru.  Why,  this,  Volumnius : 

The  ghost  of  Caesar  hath  appeared  to  me 
Two  several  times  by  night ;  at  Sardis  once, 
And,  this  last  night,  here  in  Philippi  fields : 
I  know  my  hour  is  come.2 

Vol.  Not  so,  my  lord. 

Bru.  Nay,  I  am  sure  it  is,  Volumnius. 
Thou  seest  the  world,  Volumnius,  how  it  goes ; 
Our  enemies  have  beat  us  to  the  pit :  [Low  Alarums. 

It  is  more  worthy  to  leap  in  ourselves, 
Than  tarry  till  they  push  us.     Good  Volumnius, 
Thou  know'st  that  we  two  went  to  school  together : 
Even  for  that  our  love  of  old,  I  pr'ythee, 
Hold  thou  my  sword-hilts,  whilst  I  run  on  it. 

Vol.  That's  Dot  an  office  for  a  friend,  my  lord. 

[Alarums  stilL 

Cli.  Fly,  fly,  my  lord !  there  is  no  tarrying  here. 

Bru.  Farewell  to  you  ;  —  and  you ;  —  and  you,  Volumnius.— 
Strato,  thou  hast  been  all  this  while  asleep ; 
Farewell  to  thee,  too,  Strato.  —  Countrymen, 
My  heart  doth  joy,  that  yet  in  all  my  life 
I  found  no  man  but  he  was  true  to  me. 
I  shall  have  glory  by  this  losing  day, 
More  than  Octavius  and  Mark  Antony 
By  this  vile  conquest  shall  attain  unto. 
So,  fare  you  well  at  once ;  for  Brutus'  tongue 
Hath  almost  ended  his  life's  history : 
Night  hangs  upon  mine  eyes ;  my  bones  would  rest, 
That  have  but  labour'd  to  attain  this  hour. 

[Alarums.     Cry  within,  Fly,  fly,  fly! 

2  So  the  Poet  read  in  Plutarch :  "  Brutus  being  neare  unto  the  city  of 
Phillippes,  this  spirit  appeared  againe  unto  him,  but  spake  never  a  word. 
Thereupon  Brutus,  knowing  that  he  should  die,  did  put  himselfe  to  all  hazard 
in  battel."  Merivale  has  a  strong  sentence  on  the  point:  "  The  legend  that 
when  preparing  for  the  encounter  with  the  triumvirs  he  was  visited  by  the 
ghost  of  Caesar,  which  summoned  him  to  meet  again  at  Philippi,  marks  the 
conviction  of  the  ancients  that  in  the  crisis  of  his  fate  he  was  stung  by  guilty 
remorse,  and  haunted  by  the  presentiment  of  final  retribution." 


508  JULIUS    C.&SAR.  ACT  T- 

Cli.  Fly,  my  lord,  fly ! 

Bra.  Hence !  I  will  follow.8  — 

[Exeunt  CLIT.  DARDAN.  and  VOLUM. 
I  pr'ythee,  Strato,  stay  thou  by  thy  lord. 
Thou  art  a  fellow  of  a  good  respect ; 4 
Thy  life  hath  had  some  smack  of  honour  in  it : 
Hold,  then,  my  sword,  and  turn  away  thy  face, 
While  I  do  run  upon  it.     Wilt  thou,  Strato  ? 

Stra.  Give  me  your  hand  first :  fare  you  well,  my  lord. 

Bru.  Farewell,  good  Strato.  —  Cassar,  now  be  still : 
I  kill'd  not  thee  with  half  so  good  a  will. 

[He  runs  on  his  Sword  and  dies. 


Alarum.    Retreat.     Enter  OCTAVIUS,   ANTONY,  MESSALA, 
LUCILIUS,  and  Army. 

Oct.  What  man  is  that  ? 

Mes.  My  master's  man.  —  Strato,  where  is  thy  master  ? 

Stra.  Free  from  the  bondage  you  are  in,  Messala : 
The  conquerors  can  but  make  a  fire  of  him  ; 
For  Brutus  only  overcame  himself, 
And  no  man  else  hath  honour  by  his  death. 

Lucil.  So  Brutus  should  be  found.  —  I  thank  thee,  Brutus, 
That  thou  hast  prov'd  Lucilius'  saying  true. 

Oct.  All  that  serv'd  Brutus,  I  will  entertain  them.5  — 
Fellow,  wilt  thou  bestow  thy  time  with  me  ? 

Stra.  Ay,  if  Messala  will  prefer  me  to  you.6 

Oct.    Do  so,  good  Messala. 

Mes.  How  died  my  master,  Strato  ? 

Stra.  I  held  the  sword,  and  he  did  run  on  it. 

Mes.  Octavius,  then  take  him  to  follow  thee, 
That  did  the  latest  service  to  my  master. 
/  Ant.  This  was  the  noblest  Roman  of  them  all : 
All  the  conspirators,  save  only  he, 
Did  that  they  did  in  envy  of  great  Caesar ; 
He  only,  in  a  general-honest  thought 
And  common  good  to  all,  made  one  of  them.7 
His  life  was  gentle ;  and  the  elements 
So  mix'd  in  him,8  that  Nature  might  stand  up 

8  Plutarch  gives  it,  that  Brutus,  when  urged  to  fly,  replied,  —  "  We  mast 
fly  indeed,  but  it  must  be  with  our  hands,  not  with  our  feet." 
4  A  fellow  well  esteemed  or  of  good  reputation. 
6  Receive  them  into  my  service. 

6  To  prefer  seems  to  have  been  the  general  term  for  recommending  a 
servant.    See  page  119,  note  16. 

7  It  has  been  plausibly  proposed  to  read  "  thought  of  common  good." 
Such  changes  are  not  rightly  admissible.    The  force  of  in  is  continued  over 
common  good. 

8  Referring  to  the  old  doctrine  of  the  four  elements,  as  they  were  called, 
•arth,  water,  air,  and  fire,  the  right  mixing  and  tempering  of  which  was 


SO.  V.  JULIUS    CAESAR.  509 

And  say  to  all  the  world,   This  was  a  man! 
Oct.  According  to  his  virtue  let  us  use  him, 
With  all  respect  and  rites  of  burial. 
Within  my  tent  his  bones  to-night  shall  lie, 
Most  like  a  soldier,  order'd  honourably.  — 
So,  call  the  field  to  rest ;  and  let's  away, 
To  part  the  glories  of  this  happy  day.  \_Exeunu 

supposed  to  be  the  principle  of  all  excellence  in  Nature.  The  Poet  has  a 
number  of  allusions  to  the  doctrine,  which  was  a  commonplace  of  the  time 
See  page  195,  note  2.  The  sense  of  the  word  elements  has  so  changed  as  to 
make  the  passage  just  as  true  to  the  ideas  of  our  time,  as  it  was  to  those  of 
three  hundred  years  ago.  A  rather  curious  fact. 


14  DAY  USE 

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